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Immigration
Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program
DHS Creates a Haitian Family Reunification Program
In January 2010, after Haiti’s devastating earthquake, DHS designated Haiti for Temporary Protected Status (which IJDH had long urged), protecting most Haitians from deportation and granting them work permit eligibility. IJDH then began a campaign for creation of a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program (HFRP), to save lives and help Haiti recover by generating remittances, winning extensive editorial and political support (SCROLL DOWN for links to over 80 items). Our campaign succeeded on October 17, 2014, when DHS announced it would implement an HFRP in early 2015 to expedite the entry into the U.S. of approved beneficiaries whose visas are within two years of becoming current. As of June 30, 2016, 1,952 beneficiaries had succeeded under HFRP, which began in March 2015 and now covers beneficiaries within three years of getting their visas. We seek to expand HFRP’s coverage to include all DHS-approved beneficiaries in Haiti, many of whom are on wait lists of up to 13 years (not just three), and we closely monitor its implementation to help ensure its maximum effectiveness.
January 10, 2023: Haitian Parole Program Fact Sheet (PDF)
For other developments, see the items cited on this page.
- Fact Sheet, “Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program,” US Citizenship and Immigration Services, March 2015
- “Hope for Haitian Families Under New U.S. Immigration Program,” by Tricia McCarter, Potent Magazine, March 17, 2014
- Editorial, “Finally, Mr. President…,” Miami Herald, October 20, 2014
- “Obama ignores Haitian family reunification,” by Steven Forester and Marleine Bastien, Miami Herald, October 15, 2014
- “Advocates, Florida delegation push immigration program to help rebuild Haiti,” by Chris Adams, McClatchy DC, September 16, 2014 (Miami Herald, September 17, 2014)
- African-American Baptist Convention Presidents Urge President to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Program, September 5, 2014
- NAACP urges President to include creation of a Haitian Family Reunification Program in his soon-to-be-announced executive actions, August 26, 2014
- 43 Haitian Diaspora Groups and 30 Political, Religious and Other Leaders Urge President to Finally Create a Haitian Family Reunification Program, August 15, 2014
- 73 Haitian American Diaspora Groups and Leaders Urge President Obama to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program — August 18, 2014
- U.S. Rep. Frederica S. Wilson Champions Haitian Family Reunification! — August 4, 2014
- Bipartisan Leaders Urge Expedited Haitian Family Reunification — June 5, 2014
- “Create plan for Haitians equal to one for Cubans,” by Archbishop of Miami Thomas G. Wenski, urging immediate creation of a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, May 31, 2014
- 63 U.S. Representatives Strongly Urge President to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Program, May 30, 2014
- Congresswoman Wilson leads effort to reunite Haitians families, The Miami Times, May 1, 2014
- Five U.S. Representatives Urge President to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program and Request a Meeting with Him on this “Much-Needed Action”, April 28, 2014
- Letter to the Editor: “Create long-delayed Haitian family reunification program,” by Marleine Bastien and Steven Forester, Miami Herald, January 28, 2014
- Editorial: “Out of the rubble: Rebuilding is replacing recovery, but serious challenges remain,” Miami Herald, January 12, 2014 (last two paragraphs)
- “Why Some Haitians Are Still Waiting on Family-based Visas to Come to the US,” reported by Amy Bracken, “PRI’s The World,” on National Public Radio, September 18, 2013
- Miami Dade County Commission Unanimously Urges President Obama to “Immediately Establish a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program,” September 4, 2013
- “How Obama has failed Haitian families,” by Steven Forester and Marleine Bastien, MSNBC’s theGrio, August 1, 2013
- Reuniting Haitian families in U.S. an easy fix for Obama, by Steven Forester and Marleine Bastien, Miami Herald, January 12, 2013
- NAACP Urges President to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, letter from Washington Bureau Director & Senior Vice President for Advocacy and Policy Hilary O. Shelton, January 11, 2013
- U.S. Congressman Alcee Hastings again urges President Obama to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, Statement on Three-Year Quake Anniversary, January 11, 2013
- Hastings on the Third Anniversary of Haiti Earthquake — January 11, 2013
- Center for Global Development: Why Wait? – Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program before Inauguration Day (3rd video), November 12, 2012
- Haitians Displaced by quake will be allowed to stay in U.S. an extra 18 months, Miami Herald, September 24, 2012
- U.S. Rep. Hastings Again Urges President to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, October 4, 2012
- American Bar Association Urges Creation of a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, August 9, 2012
- What the Obama Immigration Shift Means for Haitians, Haitian Times, July 12, 2012
- U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings Urges President to Create A Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, July 11, 2012
- A Joint Statement Concerning Haitian Deportations From The US; 20th Session Of the Human Rights Council Oral Statement Regarding The Report of the Independent Expert On The Situation Of Human Rights In Haiti, Michel Forst, Concerning Forced Returns Of Haitians From Third States, July 3, 2012
- Haitians in Miami urge Obama to let family come to U.S. on parole visa program, Miami Herald, June 26, 2012
- Editorial: Make Families Whole: President Obama should admit visa-approved Haitians to the U.S. – now, Miami Herald, June 26, 2012
- Editorial: Don’t Make Eligible Haitians Wait, Long Island Newsday, June 26, 2012
- Haitians in Miami Urge Obama to let family come to U.S. on parole visa program-With the president in town, Haitian advocates took the opportunity to speak up on an immigration issue that has preoccupied the group since the earthquake ravaged the country in 2010, Miami Herald, June 26,2012
- Haitian-Americans Call on Obama to Facilitate Legal Migration, defend.ht, June 26, 2012
- Even After Obama’s Immigration Policy Change, Haitian families’ Dreams Deferred, TheGrio, June 18, 2012
- U.S. Conference of Mayors Urges the President To Immediately Instruct The U.S.Department Of Homeland Security To Initiate A Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, June 16, 2012
- Sad Haitian Tragedy Calls For U.S. Immigration Fix, Miami Herald, June 15, 2012
- Rep. Forry and Coalition Surpass Goal, Submitting More than 6,000 Petitions for Haitian Families — June 6, 2012
- 6,000-plus Persons Petition President to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, June 6, 2012
- Haitian-American Professionals Express “frustration and disappointment” at President’s Inaction on Haitian Family Reunification, June 3, 2012
- Radio WLRN Miami Herald News on “Haitian-American leaders ask Obama to speed up visa process” — May 28, 2012 (Read more here)
- New York City Council Joins Chorus Urging a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program — March 2, 2012
- New York City Council Urges President to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, February 29, 2012
- Lawmakers Cast Symbolic Vote for Haitians – The Florida Senate departed from its relative silence on immigration issues Monday, passing a memorial that encourages the federal government to ease travel restrictions for Haitians looking to come to the United States, Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau, February 13, 2012
- Haiti earthquake 2 years later: Homeland Security has failed Haitian Families, TheGrio, January 12, 2012
- The Haitian Migration: Want to help the hundreds of thousands of Haitians still suffering from the 2010 earthquake? Let some of them into the United States, New America Foundation, January 9, 2012
- No Time to Despair, OUR OPINION: Haiti’s Progress has been slow, but Improvements are Underway, Miami Herald editorial, January 9, 2012
- Letter Urging expedited Haitian Family Reunification and Extending low-skilled temporary worker visas to Haitians (By Nelson and Rubio, Florida’s U.S. Senators and six other FL delegation members), Congress of the United States, December 22, 2011
- Letter Urging the President to Create a Haitian FRPP or Start prompt paroles (By Kerry, Durbin, Cardin and Grillibrand, U.S. Senators and 87 U.S. Representatives), Congress of the United States, December 15, 2011
- National Haitian American Elected Officials Network (NHAEON) urges the President to expedite Haitian family reunification, November 14, 2011
- Massachusetts’ State Black and Latino Legislative Caucus Urges DHS Secretary Napolitano to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program to Save Lives and Help Haiti Recover (IJDH) — November 4, 2011
- Massachusetts’ Congressional Leaders Urge DHS Secretary Napolitano to Save Lives and Help Haiti by Reunifying Haitian Families (IJDH) — October 26, 2011
- Massachusetts’ U.S. Senators and Representatives urge DHS Secretary Napolitano to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, October 25, 2011
- Time for Action on Humanitarian Parole, Boston Haitian Reporter, October 7, 2011
- Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program to Help Haiti Recover. End the Double Standard — September 29, 2011
- Mass. Gov. Patrick Urges DHS Sec. Napolitano to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program to Help Haiti Recover, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, September 22, 2011
- Migration as a Tool for Disaster Recovery: A Case study on U.S. Policy Options for Post-Earthquake Haiti, by Royce Bernstein Murray and Sarah Petrin Williamson, Center for Global Development. — June 6, 2011
- Philadelphia City Council Urges the Obama Administration to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program to Help Haiti Recover, Save Lives, and End a Double Standard, The Council of the city of Philadelphia, April 28, 2011
- How to Help Haiti, Chicago Tribune editorial, November 18, 2010
- Visa Program Would Help Haitians and Haiti, Newsday editorial, September 27, 2010
- Video of IJDH Immigration Advocacy Coordinator Steven Forester speaking on “Race, Corporate Interests, and Politics of the U.S. Immigration System” at the National Lawyers’ Guild annual conference in New Orleans. — September 26, 2010
- President Obama Should Implement the “Most Effective Way” to Help Haiti Recover, Steven Forester, Dorchester Reporter, September 8, 2010
- Obama Administration Should Act to Speed Haiti Visas, New Jersey Star-Ledger editorial, August 10, 2010
- Haitian immigrants need expedited entry, San Antonio Express editorial, July 22, 2010
- Helping Haitians Help Themselves, Los Angeles Times editorial, July 21, 2010
- Haiti: Expedite Visas for Family Members, Boston Globe editorial, July 17, 2010
- Two-page summary prepared for Congress outlining our position and support for immediately paroling the then 55,000 (now estimated 105,000) approved beneficiaries and for giving U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services the legal authority, now lacking, to entertain and grant individual applications to waive the required $305 fee to apply for humanitarian parole based on urgent medical or other needs. — July 12, 2010
- Helping the Haitians, Philadelphia Inquirer editorial, July 2, 2010
- President Obama Could Rapidly Aid Haitian Asylum Seekers, Washington Post editorial, June 26, 2010
- U.S. Conference of Mayors Urges the President to Create a Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, June 14, 2010
- Letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano signed by 75 organizations, March 12, 2010
- To End Haiti’s Despair, Miami Herald, March 28, 2010
- U.S. Must Lead in Haiti’s Recovery, Miami Herald editorial, March 22, 2010
- Letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano from U.S. House Judiciary, Foreign Affairs, and Immigration Subcommittee Chairpersons John Conyers, Howard Berman, and Zoe Lofgren; Congressional Black Caucus Whip Rep. Yvette Clark; South Florida Republican Representatives Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, and Mario Diaz-Balart; and Representative Anh Cao (R La), March 8, 2010
- Let Haitians Join Relatives in U.S.: Speed the Visas for Earthquake Victims, New Jersey Star-Ledger editorial, February 13, 2010
- The U.S. Should Welcome Haitians In, Washington Post editorial, January 29, 2010
- What Haiti Needs: A Haitian Diaspora, Elliot Abrams Op-Ed, Washington Post, January 22, 2010