Republican members of a U.S. House Judiciary Committee panel grilled the head of the Department of Homeland Security’s agency responsible for legal pathways to immigration during a heated hearing on the Biden administration’s parole program. The program, which grants temporary protections to nationals from certain countries, has seen over 500,000 people paroled since its inception. USCIS Director Ur Jaddou defended the program, citing historical presidential use of parole authority. Democrats on the panel criticized Republicans for attempting to limit legal pathways to immigration, while also highlighting the vital role immigrants play in the U.S. workforce.
However, concerns were raised about fraud in the program, leading to a temporary pause in applications to investigate U.S.-based sponsors. USCIS faces challenges due to its funding structure, heavily reliant on immigrant filing fees. Some Republicans criticized the agency’s backlogs in processing green cards and questioned if resources were diverted to parole applicants. USCIS has made improvements to address fraud issues and enhance monitoring. The hearing highlighted the ongoing debate over immigration policies and funding constraints within the agency.
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