Lawsuit Against Parole in Place Threatens Florida’s Future Prosperity

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 28, 2024
Contact: [email protected]

Miami, FL — On August 26, 2024, a federal judge issued an administrative stay on the Keeping Families Together parole program, also referred to as Parole in Place (or PIP). Under the stay, which was initially granted for 14 days, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can accept, but not approve, parole applications submitted as part of the Keeping Families Together program.

“The court’s decision is a setback for mixed status families who stand to benefit from this program. We are talking about a limited number of long-time residents with deep family and community ties who are already eligible for legal status,” said Evelyn Wiese, staff attorney at Americans for Immigrant Justice. “This program would allow these family members to apply for residency without having to leave the country for unknown and perhaps prolonged periods of time. Keeping families together shouldn’t be political.”

This temporary pause is a result of ongoing litigation challenging the program, brought by Florida and fifteen other states. The lawsuit claims, in part, that the state of Florida will be irreparably harmed by the new program, but data shows the extensive contributions of immigrants to Florida’s economy.

In Florida, there are an estimated 27,000 undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens potentially eligible for Keeping Families Together parole. If these individuals were able to adjust status, they would add an estimated $317 million to the national economy and pay a combined $110 million in taxes annually. It is believed that 88% of these individuals are currently in the labor force in Florida, with 76% working in industries with staffing shortages. In short, these individuals are crucial to maintain a thriving economy in Florida.

Overall, immigrants living in Florida have a large positive impact on our economy—paying an estimated $42.5 billion in taxes and bringing in $141.5 billion in spending power to the state. In Miami-Dade County alone, immigrants paid $8.9 billion in taxes and brought in $28.2 billion in spending power.

“Providing lawful status and work authorization to up to 500,000 PIP-eligible spouses of U.S. citizens could positively impact over a million American family members and the economy by allowing long-time residents of the U.S. with strong family ties the ability to more fully contribute to the communities in which they are already deeply embedded,” said Cindy Woods, National Policy Counsel at Americans for Immigrant Justice. “Florida stands to gain from this new program.”

The court has laid out an expedited briefing schedule in the case and signaled that the administrative stay on adjudicating PIP applications may be extended.

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