During the month of September, the number of Cubans who benefited from the PAROLE humanitarian program established in the United States increased from 3,500 in August to 5,053 last month. According to figures from the Department of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the number is below Venezuelans with 5,092 beneficiaries, Nicaraguans with 5,298, and Haitians with 12,245, who benefit the most.
According to Univision journalist Daniel Benitez, more than 52,000 Cubans have been approved to enter the United States under PAROLE humanitarian aid between January and the end of September. Of them, 50,185 have entered, and it is expected that others will do so soon.
In total, 265,888 migrants of four nationalities have benefited from the program established by the government of Joe Biden.
However, regarding entries through CBP One, América TeVé reporter Mario J. Pentón warned that of the 43,000 people processed in September, according to the US authorities, the main nationalities of those who “have scheduled appointments” are Haitians, Mexicans, and Venezuelans.
With the arrival of 341,392 migrants at the southern US border in September, pressure on the Biden administration has increased in recent months. Despite insisting that migration be reduced,
CBP indicated that, in total, 200,287 Cubans arrived at the borders of the United States in the fiscal year 2023 (October 2022–September 2023).
“Republicans in Congress must stop playing political games with border security”
In addition, the numbers show a record in the past 11 months with the crossing of 3,201,144 people to the United States.
Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller noted in a statement that his agency “increased resources and personnel” in September in response to the “high rate of arrests at the southwest border.”
On the other hand, the Biden government has asked the US Congress for $13.6 billion to strengthen the border with Mexico, manage irregular migration, and combat fentanyl trafficking, which is mainly carried out by Mexican drug cartels.
“Republicans in Congress must stop playing political games with border security,” the document sent to Congress states.
Biden listed that, among the improvements made on the issue, humanitarian permits for family reunification, CBP One and immigration management offices in Colombia, Costa Rica, and Guatemala, and soon in Ecuador, However, this requires “additional funding.”
Part of the requested money will go toward sending another 1,300 Border Patrol agents to work with the 20,200 already funded in the fiscal year 2024 budget.
“The speedy deportation” of migrants who do not meet the requirements for stay “is not possible if asylum officials” cannot conduct interviews to determine whether there is a possibility that they will be persecuted or tortured if they return to their country, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement.
