The Biden administration is launching a new family reunification program for certain immigrants from Ecuador. This program is aimed at discouraging people from trekking to the U.S.-Mexico border, and instead providing them with a legal pathway to the U.S.The government’s goal is to discourage crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border because illegal border crossings reached an all-time high in September 2023.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
“Establishing this process for certain Ecuadorian nationals will ensure more families can access lawful pathways rather than placing themselves at the mercy of smugglers to make the dangerous journey.”
To qualify for the program,
This program is similar to family reunification programs that the Biden administration has already created for immigrants from Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras. These programs have been successful in reducing illegal border crossings from those countries. The Biden administration hopes that this new family reunification program will have the same effect for Ecuador and that it will provide a safe and legal pathway for Ecuadorians to join their families in the United States.
Ecuadorian migration to the US border has soared in recent years, with nearly 99,000 Ecuadorians apprehended by Border Patrol in the first 11 months of fiscal year 2023, a 312% increase from fiscal year 2022.
The increase in migration is due to a number of factors, including
The State Department advises Americans not to visit certain areas of the country due to risk of being assaulted, kidnapped or even murdered. Many Ecuadorians are fleeing to the US in search of safety and economic opportunity. However, the journey is dangerous and many migrants have lost their lives crossing the Darién Gap, a treacherous jungle on the border between Colombia and Panama.
The Family Reunification Parole process starts when the U.S. State Department sends an invitation to the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident family member who has successfully filed Form I-130 to sponsor an Ecuadorian beneficiary. This program is available to certain children and siblings of U.S. citizens, and certain spouses and children of lawful permanent residents. The invited petitioner can then start the process by filing a request for the beneficiary and eligible family members to be considered for advance travel authorization and parole.
Although family reunification is one of the goals of this country’s immigration policies, acquiring a family-based immigration permit can be time-consuming and require substantial effort. Fortunately, working with an experienced immigration attorney could ensure you avoid errors that can cause delays. A family immigration lawyer understands how to use their knowledge and skills to help secure family visas as quickly as the circumstances permit.
Call us today at 630-345-4164.
Immigration Attorney Mario Godoy has years of experience guiding clients with immigration issues through the immigration process along with guiding clients through the criminal case. Godoy focuses on family-based immigration law, business immigration law, removal defense, and criminal defense representation of immigrants. A criminal charge or conviction can be devastating to your immigration case. With over a decade of immigration law experience and memories of family members who were deported due to bad legal advice, Godoy is committed to helping other immigrant families receive the legal justice they deserve. As a legal entrepreneur who practices immigration law, criminal law, estate and probate law, and running two successful law firms, Mario Godoy understands the importance of keeping families together and making a home and future in America.
