Administration Invokes Non-Existing Parole Authority to Increase Haitian Immigration, Charges FAIR

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today's announcement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that it will begin implementation of a Haitian Family Reunification Parole (HFRP) Program marks the Obama administration's latest unlawful rewriting of U.S. immigration law, charged the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR).

"No legal authority exists for the president to parole broad categories of foreign nationals into the United States," asserted Dan Stein, president of FAIR. "Parole is intended to be a very limited authority the executive branch may use on a temporary, case-by-case basis to address unique circumstances in which a compelling humanitarian concern is at stake. Allowing any Haitian with a family member in the U.S. to jump the line does not qualify as unique, compelling, or an example of 'case-by-case' evaluation."

Not only is the HFRP a blatant circumvention of federal statute, DHS's justification for implementing the HFRP Program is utterly illogical. Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas asserts that speeding up Haitian immigration "supports broader U.S. goals for Haiti's reconstruction and development by providing the opportunity for certain eligible Haitians to safely and legally immigrate sooner to the United States."

"When did removing a country's people become a prescription for reconstruction and development?" asked Stein. "If the goal of the United States is to facilitate Haitian development, our policies ought to encourage and assist Haitians to remain in Haiti. No nation has ever grown strong and prosperous by having its people emigrate en masse.

"Equally absurd is Mayorkas's assertion is that the HFRP is an attempt to preempt renewed large-scale and dangerous illegal immigration from Haiti. The way to discourage illegal immigration – whether from Haiti or other countries – would be for the administration to quit rewarding it. Instead, the president is poised to offer a massive and illegal executive amnesty program that will touch-off an even greater surge of illegal immigration," warned Stein.

"The HFRP Program is just the latest illustration of why Congress needs to act urgently to rein-in President Obama's abuse of executive authority in immigration policy and block funding for unauthorized actions and programs. This administration continues to ignore one immigration law after another and substitute its own policies with no statutory authority. It is a threat not just to the integrity of our immigration process, but to our constitutional system of government," Stein concluded.

About FAIR

Founded in 1979, FAIR is the country's largest immigration reform group.  With over 250,000 members nationwide, FAIR fights for immigration policies that serve national interests, not special interests.  FAIR believes that immigration reform must enhance national security, improve the economy, protect jobs, preserve our environment, and establish a rule of law that is recognized and enforced.

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130103/MM36576LOGO

SOURCE Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)