One of these great new benefits is the expansion of ‘Parole in Place’ to include the families of United States military veterans. ‘Parole in Place’has traditionally allowed the immediate relatives of active military to be paroled into the United States.
WHILE we have had high hopes for change to our immigration system under the current administration, little has been done by way of comprehensive legislation that benefits undocumented residents in the United States. While many remain disappointed and discouraged by the lack of significant reform, the government has made some small changes to existing immigration law which have expanded benefits for undocumented individuals and opened doors to citizenship which did not previously exist.
One of these great new benefits is the expansion of “Parole in Place” to include the families of United States military veterans. “Parole in Place” has traditionally allowed the immediate relatives of active military to be paroled into the United States. This parole would cure unlawful entry and allow those relatives to apply for adjustment of status to receive a green card, and eventually citizenship.
The reason behind Parole in Place for active military was to make sure our brave men and women serving the country did not have to worry about the immigration status of their loved ones. The government wants our soldiers confident and their families safe and secure in the US.
Parole in Place has now been vastly expanded to include the family members of United States military veterans. This means that if you are the spouse, parent or child (under 21) of any US Citizen who has ever served in the military, you may be eligible for parole. Once you are paroled, you will then be able to apply for adjustment of status here in the United States to receive your green card.
This opens the door to citizenship for potentially thousands of individuals. If you are the wife, husband, child or parent of a former service man or woman, you may now apply for this new benefit. When your parole is granted, it is as if you have re-entered the United States without ever having to leave the country! Right there, in the Los Angeles USCIS office, a government official paroles you into the United States and hands you a brand new I-94 card. This card is the key to your green card, and eventual US Citizenship.
This benefit is potentially available for all immediate relatives of veterans, regardless of the amount of time served in the military, the nature of service, and even the nature of discharge from the military. Military service includes membership in the Armed Forces or Select Reserve of the Ready Reserve. Some spouses and children of US veterans will continue to qualify for this benefit even if the veteran has passed away.
Parole can cure many types of immigration violations, including entry without inspection (EWI). However, some violations may not be cured through parole and thus some individuals should not apply for this benefit. Each case is unique and should be evaluated by an immigration attorney before applying.
The United States government recognizes that all of our veterans who have served bravely and risked or sacrificed their lives for this county deserve their loved ones to have lawful status in the US Because of this, applying for Parole in Place is free. You will not have to submit any filing fee with your application. If you believe you may qualify under this new benefit, we invite you to come speak to an immigration expert at Wilner & O’Reilly law firm. We are always proud to help our United States veterans. U-Rah!
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Kelly O’Reilly is a nationally known immigration expert and former immigration officer. He is a highly sought after speaker on immigration and employment compliance issues. Mr. O’Reilly serves as the current chair of the Riverside County Bar Association Immigration section and is a partner in the full-service immigration firm of Wilner & O’Reilly where he provides free consultations. Mr. O’Reilly can be contacted at (562)207-6789 or he welcomes email inquiries at [email protected].