Republicans Clash with USCIS Head Over Biden’s Parole Program and Immigration Policies
David Wallace/The Republic
WASHINGTON — During a heated hearing on Wednesday, Republican members of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee grilled the head of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Ur Jaddou, over the Biden administration’s parole program, which grants temporary protections to nationals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
The program, which allows these individuals to remain in the U.S. temporarily, work, and contribute to the economy, has been a point of contention, with more than 500,000 people paroled since its launch in 2022.
Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA), chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, accused USCIS of creating “unlawful” immigration pathways through the parole program. This program, while historically used by U.S. presidents since the 1950s, has drawn sharp criticism from Republicans, who argue that it oversteps legal boundaries.
During the hearing, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), chair of the full Judiciary Committee, also pressed Jaddou about whether such large-scale parole programs had ever been implemented before. Jaddou defended the initiative, explaining that humanitarian parole has been a tool used by previous administrations.
Top Democrat Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) countered the Republican criticisms, emphasizing the positive impact immigrants have on the U.S. economy. “The truth is that we benefit from the contributions of immigrants and their families in every single field of work,” she said, defending both the parole program and USCIS.
Jaddou faced tough questions on USCIS’s funding and operational challenges, particularly its reliance on filing fees from immigrants, which make up 96% of the agency’s budget. The rest comes from congressional appropriations. The funding model, she explained, leaves the agency vulnerable to crises, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, when office closures and fee reductions led to budget deficits and staffing shortages.
Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) raised concerns about fraud within the parole program, citing a temporary suspension of applications earlier this year to investigate U.S.-based sponsors. McClintock expressed frustration with Jaddou’s inability to provide data on how many parolees had changed their immigration status or had their paroles renewed, calling it “outrageous” that such basic information was not readily available.
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) asked about improvements USCIS had made in response to fraud concerns. Jaddou explained that the agency had added biometric requirements for sponsors and implemented systems to cross-check Social Security numbers, while also re-training staff to better detect fraud.
Despite these reforms, some Republicans, like Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ), criticized USCIS for its backlogs in processing green cards and other legal pathways. “I think you’re doing a bad job,” Van Drew told Jaddou, expressing frustration that the agency’s focus on parole applicants had diverted resources from other important immigration services. The contentious exchange highlighted the deep divisions over the administration’s immigration policies and the future of USCIS operations.
