The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of State (State) announced a notice in the Federal Register with changes intended to enhance the Central American Minors (CAM) program. The Federal Register notice explains the background, basis, and continuing need for the CAM program, as well as updates to the eligibility requirements to request access to the CAM program to include certain U.S.-based parents or legal guardians with a pending:
- Form I-589, Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal;
- Form I-914, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status; or
- Form I-918, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status.
Parents and legal guardians must have filed their asylum application, U visa petition, or T visa application on or before April 11, 2023, to be eligible to file a Form DS-7699, Affidavit of Relationship for Minors Who Are Nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, to request access for their children to the CAM program.
Other enhancements include:
- A new process to permit an eligible stepparent to initiate the CAM application process, including the relevant vetting procedures, thus expanding the scope of families that can be reunified through this process;
- The ability to pursue CAM parole processing for individuals who requested access to CAM for their children and certain qualifying family members before February 2018, and the beneficiaries were interviewed but were not afforded a parole determination or an opportunity to complete parole processing; and
- Allowing financial supporters to provide a sworn statement or other evidence of financial support for those CAM cases which require such evidence, rather than requiring applicants to complete the Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support, as evidence of financial support.
The CAM program allows qualifying U.S.-based parents or guardians to request access for their qualified children in El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras to be considered for refugee status and possible resettlement in the United States. USCIS will consider parole, on a case-by-case basis, for those found ineligible for refugee status. Certain family members of those children also may be eligible for the CAM program.
Background The CAM program was established in December 2014. In August 2017, DHS announced it had terminated the parole component of the CAM program. In March 2021, the U.S. government announced it would reopen the program, consistent with the Feb. 2, 2021, Executive Order 14010, Creating a Comprehensive Regional Framework to Address the Causes of Migration, to Manage Migration Throughout North and Central America, and to Provide Safe and Orderly Processing of Asylum Seekers at the United States Border. More information For more information on USCIS and our programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.
