Biden Admin Resuming Immigration Program After Fraud Concerns

The Biden administration is restarting an immigration program that was paused over fraud concerns, leaving many wondering if new measures will prevent future exploitation.

At a Glance

The program targets migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Suspended due to fraud concerns, the program now includes additional vetting.
Homeland Security aims to strengthen process integrity and prevent exploitation.
Up to 30,000 migrants per month can apply for work authorization.

Program Suspended Over Fraud Concerns

The immigration program previously suspended due to fraud concerns is resuming, targeting migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that the program, paused earlier this year, was suspended to investigate potential fraud in sponsor applications. Last year, over 100,000 applications from these countries were flagged for review. Issues included repeated use of deceased individuals’ Social Security numbers and large numbers of sponsors at single addresses.

The program had originally been implemented to expand legal immigration pathways while limiting illegal asylum claims. The flagged applications prompted an internal review, which unveiled troubling signs of potential exploitation, including repeat IP addresses and phone numbers. These findings pushed DHS to initiate a thorough review, suspending travel authorization for migrants from the involved countries.

Resumption with New Safeguards

The Biden administration has announced the resumption of the program, now with stricter vetting processes for both migrants and their U.S.-based financial sponsors. According to DHS, these enhanced procedures aim to maintain the program’s integrity and safeguard against exploitation. This includes manual vetting of applications in small batches to prevent the previously identified fraud issues from recurring.

“Together with our existing rigorous vetting of potential beneficiaries seeking to travel to the United States, these new procedures for supporters have strengthened the integrity of these processes and will help protect against exploitation of beneficiaries,” the U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated.

The rebooted program emphasizes increased scrutiny over U.S.-based sponsors to ensure compliance and integrity. Migrants must have a vetted financial sponsor in the U.S. and arrive at an American airport at their own expense, reinforcing responsible sponsorship.

Impact and Criticisms

With the resumption, the U.S. will accept up to 30,000 migrants per month from the four targeted countries, potentially deterring illegal border crossings. DHS believes these legal channels will offer a safer and more regulated route for migrants.

Representative Mark Green, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, criticized the program, calling it a “mass-parole scheme” and expressing concerns about fraud and exploitation. “My Committee has engaged with the department since this pause was announced, and the results were sobering. Instead of scrapping the clearly flawed program, the department is allowing it to continue without rooting out the fraud or putting adequate safeguards in place to prevent exploitation by sponsors here in the United States,” Green stated.

New Vetting Measures

Under the new guidelines, DHS has implemented more stringent background checks and manual review processes. This includes evaluated criteria for sponsor applications, ensuring higher scrutiny and verifying authenticity. Homeland Security aims to significantly reduce fraud and prevent exploitation by sponsors, which were some of the primary reasons behind the initial suspension of the program.

While the administration assures that the revised measures are robust, continuous monitoring and adjustments will likely be necessary to adapt to emerging fraud techniques. It remains to be seen how effective these new vetting measures will be in sustaining the program and ensuring its objectives are met without compromising safety and integrity.