United States | DHS terminates certain family reunification parole processes for nationals and their families from seven countries

Today, the Department of Homeland Security published a Federal Register Notice terminating “categorical” Family Reunification Parole (FRP) processes for nationals and their immediate family members from Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras.

Key Points:

• The FRN specifically identifies FRP beneficiaries from Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras. According to the FRN, “The temporary parole period of aliens who have been paroled into the United States under the FRP programs, and whose initial period of parole has not already expired by Jan. 14, 2026, will terminate on that date.”
  • Additionally, DHS is terminating “the residual processing of legacy cases under the Cuban Family Reunification Parole program and the Haitian Family Reunification Parole program first implemented by USCIS [U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services] in 2007 and 2014, respectively.”
• The two exceptions in which the FRP will not terminate are:
  • “The alien filed a Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, that is postmarked or electronically filed as of Dec. 15, 2025, or that is still pending adjudication as of Dec. 15, 2025.”
  • “The Secretary of Homeland Security determines otherwise on a case-by-case basis.”
• Regarding employment authorization revocation, the accompanying USCIS announcement states, “When we terminate an alien’s period of parole under the FRP programs, we also will revoke their employment authorization based on that parole. We will notify each alien individually that DHS is terminating their parole period and revoking their employment authorization.”
• According to the FRN, “Aliens without a lawful basis to remain in the United States following the termination of their parole must depart the United States before their parole termination date.”

Additional Information: BAL will continue to monitor related developments and provide updates.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group.

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