The Immigration Parole Reform Act of 2023 proposes reforms aimed at restoring integrity to immigration parole and ensuring compliance with congressional intent. Key provisions of the act include:
- Clarifying the eligibility criteria for parole, stating that it cannot be granted based on broad categories but should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Specifying that parole should generally be granted to individuals who are not present in the United States, with limited exceptions.
- Clearly defining the criteria for “urgent humanitarian reasons” or “significant public benefit” that justify granting parole.
- Establishing guidelines for the “case-by-case” consideration of parole requests.
- Clarifying that parole cannot be used as a pathway to obtain permanent resident status or other immigration benefits unless the individual already has a qualifying immigration status.
- Stating that granting parole to an alien after departure from the United States does not constitute admission to the country.
- Restricting employment authorization for parolees, with limited exceptions.
- Setting a maximum time period for parole, based on the length necessary to accomplish the intended purpose or a maximum of one year.
- Allowing only one extension of the initial grant of parole, limited to the time necessary to fulfill the intended purpose or up to one year.
