Temporary Halt to Humanitarian Entry Program for Citizens of Four Countries into the U.S.

The U.S. government has temporarily halted a program that allowed citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela to enter the United States for humanitarian reasons, pending a review and screening process of sponsor applications. The White House announced on Friday that the humanitarian entry program for citizens of these four countries has been temporarily suspended. This program, which allowed up to 30,000 individuals per month to enter the United States, was established to increase legal entry pathways and reduce illegal border crossings. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that travel authorizations under this program have been suspended due to 'extreme caution' while sponsor applications are reviewed. An official from the department, who requested anonymity, indicated that new approvals have been halted since mid-July to strengthen the screening and review process, but the application portal remains open. They added that approvals are expected to resume in the coming weeks. The American Immigration Reform Federation, which seeks to reduce immigration levels, announced on Friday that an internal review has shown fraud within the program, including the use of fake Social Security numbers and repeated similar addresses in applications. However, another official from the Department of Homeland Security explained that the initial report includes cases that require further investigation and are not necessarily fraudulent. Since the program's inception until June 30, approximately 495,000 individuals from these countries have entered the United States. The humanitarian entry program for Venezuelans began in 2022, and for others in 2023. The Department of Homeland Security emphasized that no concerning issues related to screening and reviewing stakeholders have been identified.