Durbin Leads Letter to President Biden Urging the Administration to Create a Parole Program to Allow Noncitizens Work Authorization, Address Workforce Shortages

Hearing

Congressional action to provide lawful pathways for immigrant workers is long overdue. Unfortunately, such action is unlikely to occur in time to meet our nation's urgent workforce needs. As such, we urge you to create a parole program allowing state governments to sponsor noncitizens for parole and work authorization in critical industries… Many migrants are ready, capable, and willing to meet our nation's workforce needs. Recent analysis demonstrates that a rebound in immigration in the last year has helped ease labor supply pressures.

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The Secretary of Homeland Security has the authority to issue parole on a case-by-case basis to meet urgent humanitarian needs or in cases where a grant of parole would result in a significant public benefit to the United States. The Department of Homeland Security anticipates an increase in migrants arriving at our southern border when Title 42 is lifted on May 11. Many will have fled desperate conditions and tyrannical regimes such as those in Venezuela and Nicaragua to seek safe haven in the United States. At the same time, our states are in desperate need of workers to ensure access to health care and to lower the costs of food for Americans. Allowing these states to opt into a lawful, orderly, and efficient parole program to meet workforce needs in critical industries would provide an enormous public benefit to all Americans,"

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