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The announcement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) marked a drastic shift in immigration policy towards several nations, including Cuba.
This Friday, the agency confirmed the total elimination of the Family Reunification Parole (FRP) programs, including the Cuban Family Reunification Parole (CFRP), a mechanism that since 2007 has allowed thousands of Cubans to enter the country quickly while awaiting their residency.
Although family claims remain intact - that is, U.S. citizens and permanent residents can continue to petition for their relatives - the reunification parole is disappearing, which allowed individuals to travel to the United States before a visa was available and, in the case of Cubans, subsequently apply for the Adjustment Act.
The measure puts those who are already in the United States under this benefit in a delicate situation.
Impact of the measure
The DHS justifies the closure by accusing the "abuse" of humanitarian parole and insufficient background checks that, according to Washington, posed "unacceptable" risks to national security.
He also specified that the permits will be canceled on January 14, 2026, and will only be valid after that date if an I-485 is submitted on or before December 15, 2025, and the employment authorization will also be revoked once the parole ends.
The DHS insists that family reunification is not a priority over security, and that immigration policy will return to a "case-by-case" model.
What happens to Cubans who are already in the U.S.?
In its official statement, USCIS explained that all permits granted under the FRP programs will cease to be valid on January 14, 2026, with one exception:
The parole will remain in effect for those who submit Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) before December 15, 2025.
The text specifies the following:
If the I-485 is pending on January 14, 2026, the permit will remain in effect until the original parole period expires or until a final decision is made regarding residency.
If the application is denied, the permit will be immediately canceled and the person "must leave the United States."
For those who do not have a pending I-485, the outcome is clear: They will automatically lose their status and work authorization on January 14, 2026.
The DHS will send individual notifications to each beneficiary informing them of the termination of their parole and work permit.
The government's message is clear: anyone without legal status must leave the country.
What should affected Cubans do?
In a conversation with journalist Mario J. Pentón, immigration lawyer Mayron Gallardo emphasized that the measure does not affect family I-130 petitions, which continue their normal course.
What disappears is the expedited pathway that allowed thousands of people to bypass years of waiting and enter on a parole while their process was progressing.
Now that option has been eliminated, forcing those who wish to emigrate to follow the usual timelines of the consular system.
According to the decision, only those who have an I-485 adjustment of status application submitted before December 15, 2025, and still pending on that date will retain the parole until their application is approved or denied.
Gallardo warned that, except for Cubans—who can adjust their status even if they have accrued illegal presence due to the Cuban Adjustment Act—those who are not immediate family members and remain in the country after their parole expires will begin to accumulate illegal presence, which will later complicate any immigration proceedings.
In those cases, the alternative is to leave the country before the permit expires and wait from the place of origin for the visa to become available.
The decision from the Department of Homeland Security claims that these programs allowed the entry of foreigners with insufficient checks and that parole should return to a "case-by-case" use.
Meanwhile, thousands of families are caught in pending processes, abrupt deadlines, and a dramatically more uncertain migration scenario.
Impact on Cubans
Reporter Wilfredo Cancio Isla summarized the measure's impact as "a painful blow" for Cubans, and emphasized that the CFRP program—created in 2007 by George W. Bush—was crucial in accelerating family reunification for nearly two decades.
He recalled that the program had been suspended since 2016 and was gradually reactivated in 2022 under the Biden administration.
"With Trump's return to the White House, the scheduling of interviews and case approvals at the U.S. Embassy in Havana has come to a standstill again," he noted, "until its definitive elimination this Friday."
The government encourages voluntary departure
The message from USCIS is clear: If you have family reunification parole, you should consult a lawyer as soon as possible.
Submitting Form I-485 before December 15, 2025, is the only way to maintain status and work authorization.
Those who do not comply must leave the country before January 14, 2026
The agency has already begun to encourage self-deportation for those who do not meet the new requirements.
On their official account on X, they detailed that those who choose to leave before losing their status can do so with incentives, including financial assistance, help obtaining travel documents, and waiver of civil fines, provided they report their departure through the CBP Home app.
"Affected foreigners must use CBP Home to report their departure from the United States," the message says.
Background of the measure
The DHS had already indicated that it would eliminate the FRPs due to alleged security breaches and the misuse of parole, which it views as a benefit that was never intended to be used on a large scale.
In his initial announcement, he emphasized that the policy aims to reestablish the principle of "America First" and strengthen immigration controls.
The suspension affects Cuba, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras, as well as their immediate family members.
The cancellation of the CFRP does not affect the ability to file family claims, but it does eliminate the mechanism that allowed thousands of Cubans to avoid years of waiting on the island and temporarily reunite with their families while their residency was being processed.
For many beneficiaries, the clock is already ticking. December 15, 2025, is now the deadline that will determine whether they can stay in the United States… or if they will have to leave.
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