GOP lawmakers say Biden’s parole plan could cause more people to commit marriage fraud.
Republican lawmakers are expressing reservations about a new “parole in place” initiative designed to shield the undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens from deportation, cautioning that it could lead to an escalation in marriage fraud. This concern arises from the recent announcement by the Biden administration in June of a program that permits noncitizen spouses who have resided in the United States for a decade and have been deemed non-threatening to public safety or national security to seek permanent residency.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), this policy change is expected to impact around 500,000 undocumented immigrants. However, this program is not accessible to newcomers, as they must have been in the country for over 10 years by June 2024.
Lawmakers are drawing attention to the prevalent use of marriage fraud as a prevalent method used by undocumented immigrants, often orchestrated by criminal organizations. They underscore that marriage fraud has also been exploited by terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and Hezbollah to facilitate their members’ entry into the U.S. under the guise of legitimacy.
The legislators have expressed apprehension that the announced paroling of certain aliens based on their marital status to American citizens may intensify the existing challenges in detecting fraudulent marriages due to the already established criminal mechanisms for large-scale marriage fraud for illegal aliens.
As a result, they are seeking clarification from DHS on various aspects such as the number of detected cases of marriage fraud annually, the procedures for detecting fraud, and whether the agency foresees a surge in fraudulent activities linked to the new parole program. Furthermore, they inquire about the likelihood of some individuals meeting the program’s criteria solely because they are in a sham marriage and whether DHS intends to implement additional safeguards to identify and prevent fraud.
These inquiries reflect the lawmakers’ growing concerns over the employment of parole by the Biden administration. Republicans contend that the administration is misusing the parole system, emphasizing that its authority should only be utilized on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian purposes or significant public benefits.
In response, the Biden administration asserts that it is broadening the avenues for immigrants to follow lawful channels, partly due to the absence of funding and legislative reforms from Congress. This approach aims to restore order at the border and discourage unauthorized immigration.
