14ymedio, Havana, 22 October 2023 — During the month of September, the number of Cubans benefiting from the humanitarian parole program established by 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 that for Venezuelans with 5,092 beneficiaries, Nicaraguans with 5,298, and Haitians with 12,245, who have benefited the most.
According to Univision journalist Daniel Benitez, more than 52,000 Cubans were approved to enter the United States under humanitarian parole between January and the end of September. Of these, 50,185 have already entered, and the rest are expected to do so shortly.
In total, 265,888 migrants of the four nationalities have benefited from the program established by Joe Biden’s government.
However, with regard to entries through CBP One, journalist Mario J. Pentón from América TeVé warned that of the 43,000 people processed in September, according to US authorities, the main nationalities that “have scheduled appointments” are Haitian, Mexican and Venezuelan.
With the arrival of 341,392 migrants at the southern border of the United States in September, the pressure on the Biden administration has increased in recent months, although it insists that migration has been reduced.
The CBP indicates that, in total, 200,287 Cubans arrived at the borders of the United States in fiscal year 2023 (October 2022-September 2023).
Congressional Republicans must stop playing political games with border security
In addition, the figures indicate a record in the last 11 months with the crossing of 3,201,144 people to the United States. Meanwhile, the Border Patrol reported that last month it arrested 210,000 immigrants who crossed illegally.
CBP’s interim commissioner, Troy Miller, stressed in a statement that his agency “increased its resources and personnel” in September in response to the “high arrest rates along the southwest border.”
The Biden government also asked the US Congress for $13.6 billion to strengthen the border with Mexico, to manage irregular migration, and to fight against fentanyl trafficking, manufactured mainly by Mexican drug cartels.
“The Republicans in Congress must stop playing political games with border security,” says the document sent to Congress.
Biden said that, among the advances that have been made in the matter, the humanitarian permits for family reunification, CBP One and the immigration management offices in Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and soon in Ecuador, stand out. However, “more funds” are required.
Part of the requested money will be used to send another 1,300 Border Patrol agents to work together with the 20,200 already financed in the budget for fiscal year 2024.
“The accelerated expulsion” of migrants who do not meet the requirements to stay “is not possible if asylum officials” cannot conduct interviews to evaluate whether there is a possibility that they will be persecuted or tortured if they return to their country, the Department of Homeland Security said this Friday in a statement.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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