DHS Ends Categorical Family Reunification Parole For Seven Countries

On Dec. 12, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security said it would terminate all categorical Family Reunification Parole programs that had applied to nationals of Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras and their immediate family members. The change was reflected in agency releases, legal practitioner advisories and a Federal Register notice that framed the action as a return to case by case parole adjudication.

DHS described the move as an effort to end the abuse of humanitarian parole and said parole “was never intended to be used in this way.” The agency framed the termination as restoring what it called common sense policies and advancing an America First approach, and cited Executive Order 14165, Securing Our Borders, as directing the agency to end categorical parole programs that conflicted with administration policy.

The termination will take direct effect on Jan. 14, 2026. Parole granted under those Family Reunification Parole programs that had not expired by that date will terminate on Jan. 14, 2026, the Federal Register notice said. A limited preservation pathway will allow parole to remain in effect for individuals with a pending Form I 485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, that was postmarked or electronically filed on or before Dec. 15, 2025, and that remains pending on Jan. 14, 2026. The Federal Register notice also ends residual processing of legacy Cuban Family Reunification Parole cases as described in the administrative text.

News reporting and agency material made clear that employment authorization associated with the FRP parole would also be revoked at termination. DHS guidance reported by media advised that if a person’s parole has not expired by Jan. 14, 2026, it will terminate on that date and those individuals should leave before then, placing urgent decisions on families and service providers in a narrow time window.

The categorical FRP programs, described in agency materials as modernized programs announced or updated in 2023, had allowed beneficiaries of approved I 130 family based petitions in the family preference categories to be paroled into the United States instead of waiting abroad for immigrant visa processing. Critics in the administration argued that practice circumvented traditional processes, while advocates said parole provided urgently needed safety and stability for vulnerable families.

Public health officials and community providers warned that revoking parole and work authorization will disrupt continuity of care for people managing chronic illnesses, impede access to employer based health coverage, and heighten mental health stress for adults and children facing potential displacement. Community clinics, school health services and behavioral health programs could see immediate increases in demand as families scramble to secure care and documentation.

The termination will disproportionately affect migrants from Latin America and the Caribbean and intersect with longstanding equity concerns about immigration policy, family unity and access to essential services. The Federal Register notice contains detailed administration and exceptions, and legal practitioners urged those potentially affected to consult the notice and their counsel quickly for the specific procedural rules and timelines.