New COA for Western Hemisphere Parole

DHS has issued a new class of admission (COA) known as Western Hemisphere Parole (WHP). This announcement provides information about documentation and the SAVE verification process to individuals who are paroled into the United States with the WHP COA. Individuals with this COA can be paroled, on a case-by-case basis, for up to three years.

Documentation

These parolees can present a copy of their electronic Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website at i94.cbp.dhs.gov, which will include a COA of WHP.

They may also present one or more of the following:

• Paper Form I-94 with a COA of WHP;
• Foreign passport with parole stamp that includes a COA of WHP; or
• Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document (EAD), with a C11 category if they have applied for and received one.

Individuals with a WHP COA may also have a Form I-512L, Authorization to Transport for Parole of an Alien Into the United States. The I-512L is issued by US Citizenship and Immigration Services to authorize travel to the United States. It does not contain the parole start or end dates.

These parolees are not employment authorized incident to their parole. They must have an EAD to be employment authorized.

SAVE Verification

Based on information from a benefit applicant’s documentation, SAVE can provide an initial verification response of parolee with a COA of WHP. The initial response may also include employment authorization information if the parolee has an EAD. An initial SAVE verification response is automated and includes one immigration status or category, and employment authorization, if any.

Parolees may have more than one valid immigration status or category and may also present valid immigration documents that demonstrate other pending applications or approved statuses or categories. If the automated SAVE response is unexpected or is not sufficient for an agency to make a benefit eligibility determination, the agency should institute Additional Verification. SAVE Additional Verification provides a detailed verification response, including:

• Additional immigration statuses and categories, if any; and
• Pending immigration applications.

Public Benefit Eligibility

Cuban and Haitian nationals who are paroled into the United States under the WHP COA may be eligible to receive certain public benefits. See Information for SAVE Users: Cuban-Haitian Entrants for more information.

Additional Information

A DHS fact sheet provides additional information about the U.S. Government’s recent actions to manage regional migration.