Key judicial support for humanitarian permits program in the U.S.

The government of President Joe Biden has achieved significant judicial backing to continue with its program of humanitarian parole that allows the entry into the United States of up to 30,000 asylum seekers per month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Federal District Judge Drew B. Tipton dismissed a challenge filed by states with Republican governments, arguing that they had not demonstrated economic harm caused by the program. The plaintiff states claimed that this program generated significant expenses in services such as healthcare, education, and public safety for the admitted migrants. However, federal government supporters emphasized that these migrants help alleviate the shortage of agricultural labor in the country. The White House welcomed the court's decision, highlighting the program's success in expanding legal pathways for nationals of the four countries included, ensuring a rigorous screening process for their entry. Since its implementation at the end of 2022, over 357,000 individuals from the mentioned four countries have received humanitarian parole and have been admitted to the United States. Haiti has had the highest number of beneficiaries, followed by Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. This program, which allows migrants to stay for two years and obtain a work permit, has been used in an unprecedented manner by President Biden in response to urgent humanitarian situations and significant public benefit. Attorney Esther Sung, from the Justice Action Center, expressed her satisfaction with the court's decision and highlighted the importance of this program for families waiting for the opportunity to rebuild their lives in the United States. On another note, President Biden regretted using the word "illegal" during his State of the Union address, acknowledging the sensitivity of this issue in the immigration context. With this judicial decision, the continuity of a program that has been recognized for its importance in addressing humanitarian crises and modernizing the U.S. immigration system is reinforced.