US pauses humanitarian entry program for citizens of four countries

3/8/2024 6:22

        The Biden administration said on Friday it had temporarily put on hold a program that allows citizens of four countries to enter the U.S. on humanitarian
        grounds while it reviews vetting and screening processes for sponsor applications.
        
        The program is part of a Biden administration effort to increase legal pathways to the United States and discourage illegal border crossings but has been criticized by Republicans as overly permissive.
        
        The program allows up to 30,000 people into the United States each month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela if they have sponsors and meet other conditions. Sponsors must be in the United States legally and have sufficient financial resources to support the person they are sponsoring for the duration of their stay.
        
        The Department of Homeland Security said that it paused the issuance of travel authorizations under the program "out of an abundance of caution" while it undertakes a review of supporter applications, a spokesperson said in a statement.