Abstract
In a bid to address the overwhelming number of immigrant sponsors from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, the Biden administration has introduced a lottery system for the family reunification program. This new system aims to provide equal opportunities for all applicants, granting winners priority status for travel, admission at a port of entry, a two-year humanitarian visa, and work permit eligibility.
The New Lottery System
In response to the high number of immigrant sponsors from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela exceeding the monthly quota of 30,000 set by the government for the humanitarian family reunification program, the immigration service has announced a new lottery system. This system is designed to give all applicants an equal chance of being selected.
Winners of each draw will receive priority status to travel to the United States, be admitted at a port of entry, receive a two-year humanitarian visa, and qualify for a work permit for the same period. This new allocation system for the 30,000 slots promised by the White House adds to the temporary humanitarian program activated in January and forms part of the government’s new immigration strategy to curb undocumented crossing at the border through a legal route.
The Official Announcement
The United States government currently grants travel authorization to up to 30,000 people each month to come to the United States to apply for temporary residence under the program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans, the federal agency clarified.
Following a review of the program concluded on May 17, the agency stated, «We have updated this process because the number of support persons who have submitted Form I-134A (Online Application to Become a Support Person and Financial Support Statement) is significantly higher than the 30,000 travel authorizations available monthly.»
The New Mechanism
Under the new process, USCIS stated that «it took effect on May 17» and that «it will randomly select approximately half of the total monthly, regardless of the submission date of all pending I-134A Forms to determine if the case can be confirmed.»
The other half of the total monthly I-134A Forms, it indicated, «will be reviewed in order of receipt according to the case submission date, which prioritizes the oldest I-134A Form for review.»
Legal Warning
Immigration lawyer José Guerrero, practicing in Miami, Florida, explains, «The immigration service will say in each draw, we have so many slots available. We are going to take half of the approved cases and we are going to draw them and the other half will correspond to immigrants who already have an approved sponsor and are waiting for an available slot.»
Conclusion
The new lottery system for the family reunification program is a significant step towards providing equal opportunities for all applicants. It not only addresses the high number of immigrant sponsors but also ensures a fair and equitable process. It’s a clear call to action for potential immigrants to seize this opportunity and apply for the program.
Keywords
Lottery System, Family Reunification Program, Immigrant Sponsors, Humanitarian Visa, Work Permit, Equal Opportunities, Immigration Service, USCIS, José Guerrero.