Visa Lawyer Blog
Parole in Place – Keeping Families Together Updates
As previously reported, a federal judge in Texas has temporarily blocked the Biden administration from approving parole requests under the Keeping Families Together program.
What does this mean for parole in place applications?
Due to a 14-day administrative stay handed down by District Court Judge J. Campbell Barker on August 26, 2024, in the case, Texas v. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) cannot approve parole in place applications filed under the Keeping Families Together program.
The order may be extended by the judge at the conclusion of the 14-day period.
USCIS has stated on its webpage that during the district court’s administrative stay, USCIS will:
- Not grant any pending parole in place requests under Keeping Families Together.
- Continue to accept filings of Form I-131F, Application for Parole in Place for Certain Noncitizen Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens.
- Continue to schedule biometric appointments and capture biometrics at Application Support Centers (ASCs).
USCIS also reminds the public that the administrative stay does not affect any parole in place applications that were approved before the court’s administrative stay order was issued at 6:46 p.m. Eastern Time on August. 26, 2024.
Those who are eligible must consult with an immigration attorney as soon as possible to determine whether to proceed with applying for parole in place while applications are still being accepted by USCIS.
For more information about this lawsuit, please click here.
EB-1 Visa Updates
Recently, the State Department confirmed that all numbers in the EB-1 preference category have been utilized for fiscal year 2024 and that no further EB-1 visas/green cards will be issued for the remainder of this fiscal year which ends on September 30, 2024.
It is also foreseeable that the EB-2 and EB-4 categories will become unavailable in the near future.
The annual limits will reset with the start of the new fiscal year (FY 2025) on October 1, 2024.
Contact Us. If you would like to schedule a consultation, please text 619-569-1768 or call 619-819-9204.
Helpful Links
- AILA: Texas and Other States File Lawsuit Challenging Keeping Families Together Program
- Texas, other Republican-led states sue Biden administration over new “parole in place” immigration program
- Attorney General Ken Paxton Sues Biden Administration Over Unlawful “Parole in Place” Policy that Incentivizes and Rewards Illegal Immigration
- USCIS Filing Guide for Form I-131F (PDF, 9.33 MB)
- USCIS Keeping Families Together Parole Webpage
- Frequently Asked Questions About Keeping Families Together
- Form I-131F Application for Parole in Place for Certain Noncitizen Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens
- What to Expect After Filing the Online I-131F Application for Parole in Place for Undocumented Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens
- USCIS Releases New Information for Parole in Place Program for Undocumented Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens such as Necessary Documents and Filing Fees
- USCIS Announces Parole in Place Application Process for Undocumented Spouses of U.S. Citizens Opens August 19th
- Visa Bulletin
- Adjustment of Status Filing Dates from Visa Bulletin
- USCIS Processing Times
- ImmigrationLawyerBlog
- ImmigrationU Membership
- Success stories
- Youtube channel
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