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Over the years, the United States has established multiple Family Reunification Parole programs that have helped to reunite families undergoing various immigration processes. These programs have been especially helpful to tens of thousands of individuals caught up in the often-lengthy family sponsorship processes. For many, the long separation from family members has caused extreme difficulties, not only financially, but also emotionally. In short, the FRP programs have been a welcome source of relief for these individuals.
Now, the Trump administration has cancelled these programs as part of their mass deportation agenda. There are currently nine FRP programs in effect, and all of these FRP programs will be terminated as of January 14, 2026.
What Is Family Reunification Parole?
The Family Reunification Parole program (FRP) has enabled certain U.S. permanent residents and citizens to sponsor immediate family members, including spouses, minor children, parents, and grandparents, for permanent resident status. These family members must already be the beneficiaries of approved petitions. If the parole application is granted, the Department of Homeland Security will allow them to be legally paroled into the United States while their permanent residence process is pending. They can then apply for permanent resident status when their visa number is current.
The main goal of the FRP programs is to keep families together and reduce the time they may be separated due to visa backlogs and other issues. The sponsoring family members must be able to show they have the means to provide financial support to their family member(s), ensuring they will not need to rely on public assistance. To this end, FRP beneficiaries are also granted employment authorization during the process.
Which Countries Will the Frp Cancellation Affect?
Countries that have benefited from the Family Reunification Parole programs include Cuba, Haiti, Guatemala, Ecuador, El Salvador, Colombia, and Honduras. Because these programs have now been canceled, individuals who entered the United States through them will now have until January 14, 2026, to depart the country. Many of these individuals gave up their homes, jobs, and lives in their country of origin when they were granted parole into the United States. Over time, they established their lives here, bought homes, gained employment, and started families, believing they would be able to obtain Green Cards. Not only have they been contributing to this society, but they must also have a clean record to qualify for a Green Card.
The Trump administration claims it is canceling the programs as a means of “ending the abuse of humanitarian parole which allowed poorly vetted aliens to circumvent the traditional parole process” and that it will be returned to a “case-by-case” basis.
Are There Any Exceptions?
The only exception will be if a family member filed a Form I-485 application to adjust their status to permanent resident on or before December 15, 2025, and the application has not been approved by January 14, 2026. In that case, the individual’s parole would remain valid until their application is adjudicated or their parole expires. This means that if they do not have a pending adjustment of status, then they will have to leave the United States by January 14, 2026.
If you are the beneficiary of an FRP program, or if you have questions regarding another immigration legal matter, contact U.S. Immigration Law Counsel for a strategy session to discuss your case.
