President Joe Biden’s expanded parole system has drawn over a million migrants to the United States since January 2023, according to newly released federal data. However, significant gaps in the system’s ability to track these parolees once they enter the country have raised serious concerns.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data reveal that approximately 460,000 migrants arrived in the U.S. on commercial flights after being granted parole by the Biden administration. Another 630,000 migrants applied for parolee status at ports of entry through the CBP One mobile app. Despite this massive influx, a May report from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) found that the administration lacks an adequate tracking system for these migrants.
The report questioned whether the administration is keeping proper tabs on the individuals granted parole into the U.S. and highlighted a significant oversight issue.
In January 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the CHNV Parole Process, aimed at Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans who have a U.S.-based supporter. This program allows vetted migrants to purchase airline tickets to enter the country legally and be granted parole.
The same month, the Biden administration introduced the CBP One mobile app to schedule appointments for migrants, promoting lawful and safe entry methods. Since its launch, the app has facilitated over 630,000 appointments, with more than 44,500 processed in May alone. Most of the migrants using the app hail from Haiti, Cuba, Venezuela, Mexico, and Honduras.
Before expanding its parole programs in 2023, the Biden administration initiated Operation Allies Welcome (OAW) to assist Afghans following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021. Through OAW, roughly 77,000 Afghans have been granted entry into the U.S. However, a May 2024 OIG report revealed that the federal government has no effective system to track the parole status of these migrants.
Three DHS offices — CBP, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — were tasked with vetting and facilitating the parole of these migrants. The OIG report found that none of these departments effectively monitored the expiration of parolees through the OAW program.
Since Biden took office, CBP data shows that over 6 million migrants have been encountered at the southern border. This includes more than 1.2 million “gotaways,” or individuals who evaded border enforcement, between fiscal years 2022 and 2023. Additionally, over the past three fiscal years, CBP has apprehended over 40,000 illegal migrants with prior criminal records.
“Our enforcement efforts are continuing to reduce southwest border encounters,” said Troy Miller, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Commissioner, in response to the new CBP data. “But the fact remains that our immigration system is not resourced for what we are seeing.”
The administration’s struggle to track parolees highlights critical flaws in the current immigration system and underscores the need for improved oversight and resources to manage the influx of migrants effectively.
