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Social Security Matters

Social security administration announces new efforts to simplify ssi applications.

August 27, 2024 • By Nate Osburn, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications

Last Updated: August 27, 2024

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The initial step – known as iClaim expansion – aims to establish a fully online, simplified iClaim application that leverages user-tested, plain-language questions, prepopulated answers where possible, seamless step-by-step transitions, and more. The online application aims to reduce the time spent applying as well as the processing time for initial claim decisions.

“Over the past year, we have asked many applicants and advocates – as well as our workforce – how we could make the SSI application process easier and simpler. Now, we are taking an important first step to do just that,” said Martin O’Malley, Commissioner of Social Security.

“People in our communities who need this crucial safety net deserve the dignity of an application process that is less burdensome and more accessible than what we now have, and we’re committed to achieving that vision over the next few years.”

The rollout of the iClaim expansion will generally be available to first-time applicants between 18 and almost 65 who never married and are concurrently applying for Social Security benefits and SSI. A goal of the second phase – currently targeted for late 2025 – is to expand this to all applicants.

The Federal Register Notice that supports this effort was published today and reflects changes based on what Social Security previously received. To read it, please visit Federal Register: Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Request .

Subsequent SSI simplification steps will incorporate lessons learned from the iClaim expansion into in-person, phone, mobile, and paper-based processes for SSI applications. As part of that, the agency plans to develop a separate simplified child SSI application.

All of these efforts will support and streamline the way Social Security’s staff technicians and applicants work together, providing an applicant journey that reflects continuous feedback gathered from the agency’s Customer Experience team, particularly from underserved communities.

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Tags: online services , SSI , supplemental security income

About the Author

Nate Osburn, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications

Nate Osburn, Deputy Commissioner, Office of Communications

Related articles, progress with timely delivery of payments to people receiving ssi, supplemental security income (ssi) celebrates 50 years as a lifeline , expanding access to ssi: getting your application started online, social security administration expands outreach and access for supplemental security income.

August 29, 2024 5:19PM

The assets limit rule for SSI needs to be increased. It was set in 1962 when SSI was created to $2,000 and this is a hardship to those on SSI. Those on SSI who work are only allowed to earn $65 a week and that needs to be raised too. That was also set decades ago and is not practical or realistic. A person on SSI who only gets $1,200 a month (combined SSA +SSI) cannot live on that unless they are in subsidized housing and there is not enough subsidized housing for all those who need it. So serious reforms need to be done to raise the limits of what people can earn and what people can save who are on SSI.

August 29, 2024 2:36PM

I have tried multiple times to get on the ss.gov site i made an id.me account now every time I sign with the id.me account it takes me right back to the sign in page. I tried a different way to sign in to ss.gov site and I tried the id.me sign in and it told me to make a login.gov account so I did and it took me right back to the sign in page. I am frustrated with this new way to sign in and i have yet to get back on my social security page! What is going on

security officer application letter pdf

August 30, 2024 10:24AM

Hello, TJ. Thank you for reading our blog. If you need help with transitioning your account, you can contact Login.gov help center  for assistance with Login.gov accounts, and  ID.me support center  for assistance with ID.me accounts. Call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-078). Our National 800 number is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Please say “Help Desk” at the voice prompt. We also encourage you to visit our  Frequently Asked Questions for Transitioning Your Social Security Username to Login.gov . We hope this helps.

August 28, 2024 4:08PM

Question: If you are going to receive insurance claim benefit from your parent passing away, does social security receive this or part of this?

I’m only receiving retirement benefits from ssa

August 29, 2024 2:39PM

Susie, your Social Security benefits won’t be affected by the life insurance payout from your parents passing. Social Security doesn’t take any of the life insurance money. That money is paid directly to you as the beneficiary.

Life insurance payouts aren’t considered income as far as Social Security is concerned. And since you only get retirement benefits from Social Security, getting life insurance money won’t change that at all. The life insurance money also isn’t taxable income or counted as earnings that could impact your Social Security.

You can go ahead and claim the life insurance without it messing with your regular Social Security checks. Everything will keep coming in as usual for your retirement benefits. The life insurance payout won’t cause any deductions or changes to what Social Security sends you each month.

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I-131F, Application for Parole in Place for Certain Noncitizen Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens

ALERT: On Aug. 26, 2024, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, in Texas v. Department of Homeland Security,  Case Number 24-cv-306 administratively stayed DHS from granting parole in place under Keeping Families Together for 14 days.

To comply with the district court’s administrative stay, USCIS will:

  • Not grant any pending parole in place requests under Keeping Families Together.
  • Continue to accept filings of Form I-131F, Application for Parole in Place for Certain Noncitizen Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens.
  • Continue to schedule biometric appointments and capture biometrics at Application Support Centers (ASCs).

The district court’s administrative stay order does not affect any applications that were approved before the administrative stay order was issued at 6:46 p.m. Eastern Time on Aug. 26, 2024.

Use this form to request a discretionary grant of parole in place under  Keeping Families Together .

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What This Form Can Help You Do

  • Keeping Families Together

Frequently Asked Questions About Keeping Families Together

Form Details

Form I-131F must be filed online.

File Online

You can find the filing fee for Form I-131F by visiting our  Fee Schedule  page. There is no fee waiver available for Form I-131F.

Starting Aug. 19, 2024, you may file Form I-131F, Application for Parole in Place for Certain Noncitizen Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens, online with the applicable filing fee. There is no fee waiver available for Form I-131F.

Each requestor, including noncitizen stepchildren, must file a separate Form I-131F requesting parole in place, and each requestor must have their own USCIS online account. A parent or legal guardian may create an online account for their minor child if the purpose is to submit a form on behalf of the minor. If a parent or legal guardian is not available, a primary caregiver or legal assistance provider may also help a child create their own USCIS online account. Information on creating a USCIS online account is available on the  How to Create a USCIS Online Account page.

  • Frequently Asked Questions About the Keeping Families Together Process
  • Form I-131F Filing Guide (PDF, 8.95 MB)

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Implementation of Keeping Families Together

A Notice by the Homeland Security Department on 08/20/2024

This document has been published in the Federal Register . Use the PDF linked in the document sidebar for the official electronic format.

  • Document Details Published Content - Document Details Agency Department of Homeland Security Agency/Docket Numbers CIS No. 2779-24 DHS Docket No. USCIS-2024-0010 Document Citation 89 FR 67459 Document Number 2024-18725 Document Type Notice Pages 67459-67490 (32 pages) Publication Date 08/20/2024 RIN 1615-ZC09 Published Content - Document Details
  • View printed version (PDF)
  • Document Dates Published Content - Document Dates Dates Text DHS will begin using the Form I-131F, Application for Parole in Place for Certain Noncitizen Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens, for this process on August 19, 2024. Published Content - Document Dates

This table of contents is a navigational tool, processed from the headings within the legal text of Federal Register documents. This repetition of headings to form internal navigation links has no substantive legal effect.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Supplementary information:, i. background, ii. parole authority and existing family unity parole processes, a. parole authority, b. parole in relation to adjustment of status eligibility, c. existing parole in place processes, d. existing family unity parole processes, iii. parole in place process for certain noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of u.s. citizens, iv. basis for parole—significant public benefit, promoting family unity and stability, strengthening the u.s. economy and the economic position of families and u.s. communities, advancing diplomatic relationships and key foreign policy objectives of the united states, reducing strain on limited u.s. government resources, furthering national security, public safety, and border security objectives, v. eligibility, a. criteria, present in the united states without admission or parole, continuous physical presence since june 17, 2014, marriage to a u.s. citizen, noncitizen stepchildren of u.s. citizens, lack of criminal history, national security concerns, public safety concerns, or border security concerns, b. requestors with unexecuted final removal orders or currently in section 240 proceedings, requestors with unexecuted final removal orders, requestors in section 240 removal proceedings, c. factors considered, vi. filing requirements and processing steps, b. documentation, c. processing steps, filing procedure, biometrics submission, case-by-case consideration for parole, parole period, employment authorization, subsequent form i-130 or form i-485, information use and disclosure, d. termination and no private rights, vii. considerations in the establishment of this parole in place process, a. alternatives to this process, b. resource considerations and impacts on uscis processing, c. potential impact on federal government and access to federal benefits, d. potential impact on states, viii. regulatory requirements, a. analysis of benefits, costs, and governmental transfers, estimated population, transfer payments, tax revenue transfer payments, labor market impacts, b. administrative procedure act, c. paperwork reduction act (pra).

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Department of Homeland Security

  • [CIS No. 2779-24; DHS Docket No. USCIS-2024-0010]
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Department of Homeland Security.

Notice of implementation of the Keeping Families Together process.

This notice announces the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) implementation of the Keeping Families Together process for certain noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens who are present in the United States without admission or parole to request parole in place under existing statutory authority. Granting parole in place, on a case-by-case basis, to eligible noncitizens under this process will achieve the significant public benefit of promoting the unity and stability of families, increasing the economic prosperity of American communities, strengthening diplomatic relationships with partner countries in the region, reducing strain on limited U.S. government resources, and furthering national security, public safety, and border security objectives.

DHS will begin using the Form I-131F, Application for Parole in Place for Certain Noncitizen Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens, for this process on August 19, 2024.

Rená Cutlip-Mason, Chief, Humanitarian Affairs Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security, by mail at 5900 Capital Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 20746, or by phone at 800-375-5283.

Family unity is a bedrock objective of the U.S. immigration system. Nearly 60 years ago, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, a foundation of modern U.S. immigration law, enshrined as a core principle the importance of promoting the ability of U.S. citizens to unify with their relatives—a principle that endures to this day. [ 1 ] Yet, amidst growing demands and challenges, including chronic underfunding of our immigration  [ 2 ] and visa processing backlogs compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, our ( print page 67460) immigration system has often been challenged in its ability to fully achieve this core principle. U.S. citizens and their noncitizen family members have in many cases faced lengthy processing backlogs and potential years-long separation to access immigration benefits intended by Congress to promote family unity.

DHS estimates that there are approximately 765,000 noncitizens in the United States who are married to U.S. citizens and lack lawful immigration status. [ 3 ] Estimates indicate that the median time these noncitizens have been in the United States is 20 years, and they collectively live with more than 2.5 million U.S. citizen family members, raising and caring for more than 1.6 million U.S. citizen children. [ 4 ] While U.S. immigration law provides noncitizens who are beneficiaries of approved immigrant visa petitions  [ 5 ] filed by their U.S. citizen spouses the opportunity to apply for adjustment of status to that of a lawful permanent resident (LPR) while remaining in the United States, there are certain requirements to adjust status that prevent many noncitizens from availing themselves of this benefit. [ 6 ] In particular, to apply for LPR status while in the United States, an applicant generally must have been “inspected and admitted or paroled” into the United States. [ 7 ]

DHS estimates that more than two-thirds of noncitizens without lawful immigration status who are married to U.S. citizens  [ 8 ] are present in the United States without admission or parole, and as a result, are generally not eligible for adjustment of status. [ 9 ] They must therefore depart the United States and seek an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. However, if they choose to depart the United States, they face uncertainty about whether they will be granted an immigrant visa and be able to return to the United States. [ 10 ] The noncitizen also must remain abroad while waiting for their immigrant visa application to be processed at a U.S. embassy or consulate and any necessary waiver applications to be processed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and as a result, they may be separated from their U.S. citizen family members for months or years. [ 11 ] The length and uncertainty of the process, along with the prospect of either separating from their U.S. citizen family members or uprooting them to travel abroad creates a disincentive and makes it difficult for noncitizens to pursue LPR status despite their eligibility to apply.

Recognizing the harms that families and communities face every day as a result of flaws in the U.S. immigration system, President Joseph R. Biden in 2021 directed DHS and other agencies to “identify barriers that impede access to immigration benefits and fair, efficient adjudications of these benefits and make recommendations on how to remove these barriers, as appropriate and consistent with applicable law.”  [ 12 ] In response to the President's directive, DHS and its immigration components, including USCIS, have taken several steps to promote accessibility and increase efficiency in the immigration system. [ 13 ]

On June 18, 2024, President Biden announced that DHS would take action to preserve the unity of U.S. citizens and their noncitizen spouses and noncitizen stepchildren who currently cannot access LPR status without first departing the United States. [ 14 ] In furtherance of the President's directive, DHS is now establishing a process, through its existing discretionary parole authority under INA section 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) , [ 15 ] for DHS to consider, on a case-by-case basis, parole in place requests filed by certain noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens. If granted parole in place, these noncitizens, if otherwise eligible, could apply for adjustment of status to that of an LPR, rather than having to depart the United States to pursue an immigrant visa, as the parole in place would satisfy the “inspected and admitted or paroled” requirement. [ 16 ]

This process does not change or eliminate the eligibility criteria for adjustment of status to that of an LPR. Noncitizens who are granted parole in place under this process will still have to satisfy all other statutory and regulatory requirements when applying to adjust status to that of an LPR, including that they have an approved immigrant visa petition based on a bona fide relationship to a U.S. citizen, are admissible to the United States, and merit a grant of adjustment of status as ( print page 67461) a matter of discretion. [ 17 ] Eligibility for a family-based immigrant visa petition (Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative), [ 18 ] and application to adjust status to that of an LPR (Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status), will be determined in a distinct and separate process from the parole in place adjudication.

This process will be available to certain noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens who are present in the United States without admission or parole; who have been continuously physically present in the United States for a minimum of ten years as of June 17, 2024 (that is, continuously physically present since June 17, 2014 and through the date of filing the request for parole); who have a legally valid marriage to a U.S. citizen as of June 17, 2024; who have no disqualifying criminal history;  [ 19 ] who do not pose a threat to national security, public safety, or border security; and who merit parole in place as a matter of discretion. Certain noncitizen stepchildren of U.S. citizens may also request parole in place under this process, provided that they have been continuously physically present in the United States without admission or parole since June 17, 2024 through the date of filing, have no disqualifying criminal history and do not pose a threat to national security or public safety, meet the INA's definition and requirements of a stepchild  [ 20 ] of a U.S. citizen, and merit parole in place as a matter of discretion.

Only noncitizens who are “applicants for admission” to the United States may be eligible for parole. [ 21 ] Noncitizens who lack lawful status but were inspected and admitted to the United States are not eligible for parole. [ 22 ] This parole in place process is available specifically to noncitizens who are present in the United States without admission or parole and who remain applicants for admission. Requests for parole in place under this process will be considered on a case-by-case basis in the exercise of discretion. Positive and negative discretionary factors will be considered when determining whether to grant parole in place to a noncitizen, based on significant public benefit or urgent humanitarian reasons. DHS estimates that 500,000 noncitizen spouses and 50,000 noncitizen stepchildren of U.S. citizens may meet the requirements to request parole in place under this process. [ 23 ]

As described elsewhere in this Federal Register notice (notice), the authority to parole applicants for admission “in place”— i.e., while the noncitizen is present within the United States without having been admitted—is consistent with DHS's longstanding interpretation of its authorities, and DHS continues to believe that it reflects the best reading of the statute. [ 24 ] The parole authority has been used for over 15 years in the specific context of preserving family unity for military families. [ 25 ] In 2010, USCIS provided guidance to its officers on considering parole in place requests submitted by noncitizen family members of U.S. military service members, which enables them to adjust status without leaving the United States, [ 26 ] an authority Congress legislatively reaffirmed in 2019. [ 27 ] Congress has also expressed support in legislation for the use of DHS's parole authority in certain instances as a discretionary tool where justified for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. [ 28 ]

As explained more fully in Section IV of this notice, the Secretary of Homeland Security's (“Secretary”) exercise of the parole authority in this manner will provide a significant public benefit to the United States, including to ( print page 67462) the impacted U.S. citizens, noncitizens, their families, and their communities at large. First, it will promote family unity by enabling U.S. citizen spouses and children to remain with their noncitizen family members while their noncitizen family members apply for adjustment of status to that of an LPR, thus promoting stability and preventing avoidable disruptions to these families. Second, it will advance U.S. economic and labor interests by enabling paroled noncitizens to work lawfully in the United States and contribute economically to their families and communities. [ 29 ] Third, it will further critical U.S. diplomatic interests and U.S. foreign policy objectives of managing migration, increasing economic stability, and fostering security in the United States and in partner countries in the region. Fourth, it will preserve limited resources across U.S. government agencies that may otherwise be expended on consular processing and removal proceedings. Fifth, it will further national security, public safety, and border security objectives by encouraging noncitizens to provide information for background and security checks.

The Secretary, and those other officials as designated by the Secretary, [ 30 ] have the discretionary authority under INA section 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) , to parole any applicant for admission “into the United States temporarily under such conditions as [the Secretary] may prescribe only on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit.”

DHS's parole authority extends to noncitizens inside the United States who have not been “admitted” as defined in the INA through a practice known as “parole in place.”  [ 31 ] Parole is available to an “applicant for admission,” which the INA defines in relevant part as “[a]n alien present in the United States who has not been admitted or who arrives in the United States.”  [ 32 ] Because the INA creates a distinct meaning for “admission,” noncitizens who have entered the United States without having been “admitted” are still considered “applicants for admission,” even though they are physically inside the United States, and may be paroled in accordance with INA section 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) . Longstanding DHS legal opinions have affirmed the availability of parole in place under U.S. immigration law, as discussed elsewhere in this notice. [ 33 ]

Parole is neither an admission of the noncitizen to the United States nor a determination of admissibility, and a parolee remains an applicant for admission during the period of parole in the United States. [ 34 ] DHS sets the duration of the period of parole based on the purpose for granting the parole request and may also impose conditions on parole. [ 35 ] DHS may terminate parole in its discretion at any time. [ 36 ] By regulation, parolees may apply for and be granted employment authorization to work lawfully in the United States during their period of parole. [ 37 ] While in a period of parole, noncitizens do not accrue unlawful presence for purposes of inadmissibility under INA sections 212(a)(9)(B)(i) and 212(a)(9)(C)(i)(I), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B)(i) and 1182(a)(9)(C)(i)(I) . [ 38 ]

The parole authority has long been interpreted to allow for designation of specific groups of noncitizens for whom parole should be favorably considered as furthering a significant public benefit or for urgent humanitarian reasons, as long as the parole of each noncitizen within the group furthers such significant public benefit or addresses such urgent humanitarian reasons, as determined on a discretionary, case-by-case basis. [ 39 ] Congress has repeatedly expressed support in legislation for the use of DHS's parole authority to benefit individuals falling within particular groups. [ 40 ]

To be eligible for adjustment of status, an applicant generally must, among other requirements, have been “inspected and admitted or paroled into the United States.”  [ 41 ] A grant of parole, including parole in place, under INA ( print page 67463) section 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) , satisfies this threshold requirement. [ 42 ]

The noncitizen must also satisfy all other requirements for adjustment of status, including establishing that they are not inadmissible under any applicable grounds, [ 43 ] and that they merit a favorable exercise of discretion including not being a threat to public safety or national security. [ 44 ]

Parole in place is currently used for certain noncitizens to promote family unity and remove barriers to adjustment of status. As federal courts, including the Supreme Court, have long recognized, “parole creates something of legal fiction,” as a paroled noncitizen is allowed to be present in the United States temporarily but remains an “applicant for admission” as defined in INA 235(a)(1), 8 U.S.C. 1225(a)(1) , pending the granting of relief from removal such as asylum or adjustment of status. [ 45 ] Through this well-established legal fiction, the statute has long authorized the parole of applicants for admission “into the United States”—whether in the form of temporary release from immigration custody or otherwise—even after they have crossed into the United States and are already physically present in the country. [ 46 ]

Congress preserved this legal fiction in IIRIRA while expanding the legal concept of an “applicant for admission.” Congress provided that any noncitizen who is present in the United States without admission “shall be deemed . . . an applicant for admission,”  [ 47 ] and that although the Secretary may parole “any [noncitizen] applying for admission,” such parole does not constitute an admission, and the parolee remains an applicant for admission. [ 48 ] Thus, “even noncitizens already physically present in the United States” after having entered without inspection remain applicants for admission unless and until they are admitted or removed and “may be eligible for humanitarian or public benefit parole under [section 212(d)(5)(A) of the INA] by virtue of their status as applicants for admission.”  [ 49 ] Put differently, because noncitizens physically present without authorization are deemed “applicants for admission,” they are therefore “applying for admission to the United States,”  [ 50 ] and thus eligible under the parole statute for parole “into the United States.”  [ 51 ]

DHS, like the former INS, has long understood section 212(d)(5)(A) as allowing for parole of applicants for admission who entered the United States without inspection and admission at a port of entry and were present in the country beyond the border. The INS General Counsel issued an opinion in 1998 adopting that straightforward, reasonable construction of the statute. [ 52 ] In 2007, the DHS General Counsel issued an opinion endorsing the 1998 INS General Counsel opinion in relevant part. [ 53 ] The Department also, for example, issued a Federal Register notice in 2002 providing that applicants for admission who are encountered in the United States within two years of having entered by sea unlawfully and who are placed in expedited removal proceedings may be “paroled into the United States” under INA section 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) . [ 54 ]

In 2013, relying on existing statutory authorities, USCIS issued policy guidance on the parole in place process for family members of certain current or former members of the U.S. Armed Forces. Pursuant to that guidance, a grant of parole enables those family members to meet the “inspected and admitted or paroled” requirement for adjustment of status. [ 55 ] In November 2014, the Secretary directed USCIS to expand on these policies to include family members of U.S. citizens and LPRs who seek to enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces. [ 56 ]

In 2019, Congress explicitly recognized that parole in place is a legitimate use of parole authority under INA section 212(d)(5). [ 57 ] That legislation “reaffirmed” “the importance of the Secretary's parole in place authority.”  [ 58 ] More specifically, this emphasized that the use of “parole in place reinforces the objective of military family unity,” and directed DHS to “consider, on a case-by-case basis, whether granting the [parole in place] request would enable military family unity that would constitute a significant public benefit.”  [ 59 ] That same year, Congress provided a new long-term immigration status specifically for certain noncitizens in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands who had been paroled in place by USCIS for various reasons, including family unity, and authorized continued parole in place for those noncitizens pending adjudication of their applications for the new status. [ 60 ]

In the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2020, Congress legislatively reaffirmed the use of parole for noncitizens already physically present within the United States, indicating Congress's intent that parole in place of individuals already present in the United States constitutes a parole “into the United States. [ 61 ] Likewise, at least two courts of appeals have endorsed this long-standing understanding of the INA, which DHS continues to believe constitutes the best reading of the statute. [ 62 ]

According to USCIS data, since it announced the parole in place process for certain military family members in 2013, approximately 82,000 noncitizens have applied for, and 61,000 noncitizens have received, parole in place as the spouse, child, or parent of a servicemember, reservist, or veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, as of June 30, 2024. [ 63 ]

Past Secretaries have similarly exercised the parole authority to promote family unity for noncitizens outside the United States who are waiting for a family-based immigrant visa to become available. [ 64 ]

For example, the Cuban Family Reunification Parole (CFRP) Program, established in 2007, allows U.S. citizens and LPRs to request parole for certain eligible family members in Cuba who are the beneficiaries of an approved Form I-130. [ 65 ] If parole is authorized, these family members may travel to the United States before their immigrant visa priority dates are current and seek parole at a U.S. port of entry to reunify with their family members while awaiting availability of an immigrant visa. In 2014, USCIS launched the Haitian Family Reunification Parole (HFRP) Program, a similar process for U.S. citizens and LPRs with eligible family members in Haiti. [ 66 ] In 2016, USCIS announced a family reunification process to allow certain Filipino World War II veterans in the United States to reunite with their eligible family members who are waiting for their immigrant visas to become available. [ 67 ]

More recently, DHS announced the implementation of new Family Reunification Parole (FRP) processes for nationals of Colombia, [ 68 ] Ecuador, [ 69 ] El Salvador, [ 70 ] Guatemala, [ 71 ] and Honduras, [ 72 ] and their immediate family members, who have approved family-based immigrant visa petitions filed on their behalf by a U.S. citizen or LPR. DHS also announced updates to the existing CFRP and HFRP processes to adopt the same modernized and streamlined processing steps implemented for the newer FRP processes. [ 73 ]

Under this new process, USCIS will consider requests for parole in place from noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens who are present in the United States without admission or parole and have been continuously physically present for at least 10 years as of June 17, 2024 (that is, continuously physically present since June 17, 2014), and remain continuously physically present through the date they file their request for parole in place. USCIS will also consider parole in place requests from certain noncitizen stepchildren of U.S. citizens provided that they have been continuously physically present in the United States without admission or parole since June 17, 2024 and through the filing of their request for parole in place, and meet the INA's definition of a stepchild of a U.S. citizen. [ 74 ]

Upon receipt of a properly filed parole in place request, [ 75 ] USCIS will determine whether the noncitizen meets the criteria outlined in this notice, whether a grant of parole in place is warranted based on significant public benefit or urgent humanitarian reasons, and whether the requestor merits a favorable exercise of discretion. All parole in place requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis as required under the parole statute. [ 76 ]

USCIS will exercise its unfettered discretion in administering this process and prioritizing requests consistent with the statute and any applicable regulations. For example, if it determines that the evidence submitted does not establish eligibility for parole in place, USCIS may, in its discretion, issue a request for evidence, issue a notice of intent to deny, or deny the request without requesting additional information or evidence. [ 77 ] In addition, requestors may be required to appear for an interview. [ 78 ] There is no right to the adjudication of a parole request, including within any given period. Nor is there a right to an administrative appeal.

USCIS will consider on a case-by-case basis: criminal history; any previous removal proceedings and removal orders; the results of background checks, which include national security and public safety vetting; positive and adverse factors presented by the requestor; and any other relevant information available to or requested by USCIS. Noncitizens who have been convicted of serious offenses will be ineligible for this process, as will those whom USCIS determines, in its discretion, otherwise pose a threat to national security, public safety, or border security. [ 79 ] Other criminal convictions, excluding minor traffic offenses, will result in a rebuttable presumption of ineligibility for parole in place. This presumption can be rebutted on a case-by-case basis by weighing the seriousness of the conviction against mitigating factors relating to the conviction as well as other positive factors that suggest that the noncitizen merits a favorable exercise of discretion. Noncitizens with pending criminal charges will be ineligible for parole in place under this process, until those charges are resolved. [ 80 ]

Eligible noncitizens who are currently in removal proceedings and do not have a final order of removal may request parole in place. However, if the noncitizen would otherwise constitute a national security, public safety, or border security concern, [ 81 ] they will be ineligible to receive parole in place pursuant to this process. [ 82 ] USCIS will evaluate, in the exercise of its discretion, the existence and circumstances of the removal proceedings in determining whether the noncitizen may be granted parole in place. Noncitizens with unexecuted final removal orders are presumptively ineligible for this process. In the exercise of its discretion, USCIS will evaluate the facts and circumstances underlying the unexecuted final removal order, including the basis for the removal order, to determine whether the noncitizen may overcome the presumption of ineligibility and be granted parole in place. [ 83 ] In so doing, USCIS will coordinate as necessary with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA).

Parole determinations are reserved to the exclusive discretionary authority of DHS. If parole in place is denied, there is no right to an administrative appeal, and neither immigration judges nor the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) have the authority to consider or review parole requests. [ 84 ]

Nothing in this notice or the implementation of this parole in place process is intended to limit DHS's authority to take enforcement actions in accordance with the INA and consistent with governing policies and practices. DHS may initiate and pursue enforcement action pursuant to its enforcement priorities  [ 85 ] under its existing authorities notwithstanding a noncitizen's intent to request parole in place, eligibility to request parole in place, filing of a request for parole in place, or grant of parole in place under this process.

Granting parole in place on a case-by-case basis to noncitizens who meet the criteria outlined in this notice and merit a favorable exercise of discretion will generally provide a significant public benefit to the United States, including to the impacted noncitizens, their families, and their communities at large by: (1) promoting family unity and stability; (2) strengthening the U.S. economy and the economic position of families and U.S. communities; (3) advancing diplomatic relationships and key foreign policy objectives of the United States; (4) reducing strain on limited U.S. government resources; and (5) furthering national security, public safety, and border security objectives. Through a case-by-case assessment, USCIS will consider whether parole for each requestor individually will provide a significant public benefit to further these goals.

This process will promote family unity by allowing certain noncitizens who have long lived in the United States to apply for permanent residence, if otherwise eligible, in the United States without separating them from their U.S. citizen spouses and, in many cases, their U.S. citizen children. Courts have long recognized preservation of family unity to be a “prevailing purpose” of U.S. immigration law. [ 86 ] This use of the Secretary's statutory parole authority addresses a barrier that currently prevents many of these otherwise eligible noncitizens from ( print page 67466) obtaining LPR status and will also promote the long-term sense of security and stability for these families.

This process will benefit an estimated 500,000 noncitizen spouses and 50,000 noncitizen stepchildren. [ 87 ] The noncitizen spouses eligible for this process have lived in the United States for a median time period of 23 years, illustrating the depth of their ties to the country. [ 88 ] More than 1.6 million U.S. citizen family members, including 1.1 million U.S. citizen children, are estimated to live with these noncitizen family members. [ 89 ] Absent this process, for these noncitizens to apply for permanent residence, their U.S. citizen spouses and children might have to endure prolonged separation from them, which would disrupt their lives, create instability, and result in avoidable economic and emotional hardship. Without this process, hundreds of thousands of noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens are likely to instead remain in the United States without lawful status, causing these families to live in fear and with uncertainty about their futures. [ 90 ]

In justifying the establishment of the parole in place process for military families in partnership with the Department of Defense, USCIS described how in the absence of such a process, service members faced “stress and anxiety because of the immigration status of their family members in the United States.”  [ 91 ] Here, too, access to parole in place will reduce the stress and anxiety of U.S. citizen spouses and children by providing stability for these families in the short and long term.

If parole in place is granted, the noncitizen will be immediately eligible to apply for employment authorization for the duration of their parole period, which will benefit both their U.S. citizen family members and the broader U.S. economy. Additionally, this process will provide these noncitizens the ability to work lawfully, [ 92 ] which will facilitate greater access to job mobility and improve overall economic productivity;  [ 93 ] provide stable, consistent support to their U.S. citizen family members;  [ 94 ] reduce their risk of facing labor exploitation;  [ 95 ] and allow for these noncitizens to contribute their full talents to the U.S. workforce. [ 96 ]

Currently, an estimated 65 percent of noncitizens over the age of 16 who do not have lawful status are already participating in the U.S. workforce, and many are self-employed. [ 97 ] The noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens covered by this process generally lack access to employment authorization and are therefore prevented from contributing as fully to the economy as they otherwise could. Like other U.S. families, U.S. citizen spouses, noncitizen spouses, and their families pay taxes and stimulate the economy by consuming goods and services. These activities contribute to further growth of the economy and create additional jobs and opportunities for U.S. citizens. [ 98 ] Providing these noncitizens access to employment authorization could also increase their labor force participation in a tight labor market, where there are more jobs than workers. [ 99 ]

U.S. citizen family members will also benefit from the stability offered through this process. Absent this process, applying for LPR status requires noncitizens who are present without admission or parole (PWAP) to depart the United States and remain abroad for an indefinite period, which is disruptive to the family's economic and emotional wellbeing. By contrast, parole and the subsequent ability to apply for LPR status from within the United States will enable these noncitizens to consistently support and provide for their U.S. citizen family members.

Access to employment authorization will also reduce potential labor exploitation, furthering a DHS and government-wide interest. [ 100 ] Research demonstrates that noncitizens who lack employment authorization are more likely to experience violations of labor laws, including laws governing workplace conditions and minimum wages. [ 101 ] They are also less likely to report those violations to enforcement agencies because of their unauthorized status. [ 102 ] This allows unscrupulous ( print page 67467) employers to unfairly compete with those who hire U.S. workers. [ 103 ]

In addition, although undocumented noncitizens contribute billions in Federal, State, and local taxes each year, regularizing the status of this population has the potential to increase these tax revenues. [ 104 ] Noncitizens who lack employment authorization may file taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). Past estimates suggest that noncitizens filing with ITINs pay billions in withheld payroll taxes annually. [ 105 ] While a precise estimate of the tax compliance rate among the undocumented population is unknown, government agencies and nongovernmental organizations have previously inferred that it may be between 50 to 75 percent. Providing access to employment authorization for this population would increase tax revenues by decreasing barriers to compliance with the tax code and increasing the earning potential of these noncitizens. [ 106 ]

The benefits of facilitating access to employment authorization for this particular population far outweigh the potential costs to American workers or to the U.S. economy. First, a review of economic studies concludes that providing legal status to unauthorized noncitizens does not harm U.S.-born and other workers in the longer term, as the impact of immigration on wages overall is both limited and very small. [ 107 ] Second, the impact on public benefits at both the State and Federal level is expected to be minimal, at least initially, as these noncitizens would be ineligible to access most means-tested benefits for five years after being granted parole in place, as discussed in detail in Section VII.C. of this notice. [ 108 ] See additional discussion of benefits related to the economy and labor market in Section VIII.A. of this notice.

This process responds to the requests and interests of key foreign partners and aligns with the U.S. government's broader foreign policy objectives to collaboratively manage migration and promote economic stability in countries throughout the Western Hemisphere.

The significant majority of noncitizens who stand to benefit from this process are nationals of Western Hemisphere countries that serve as key migration management partners of the United States. An estimated 64 percent of the noncitizens who are likely to access this process are Mexican nationals, while 20 percent are from Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador. [ 109 ] An additional 13 percent are nationals of other Western Hemisphere countries. [ 110 ]

The United States continues to engage with partner countries in the Western Hemisphere to manage extraordinary levels of migration. These efforts include addressing the root causes of migration, expanding access to lawful pathways, and disrupting human smuggling, trafficking, and criminal networks that prey on the most vulnerable individuals. As part of the strategy to reduce irregular migration and ensure migrants have access to protection, services and employment, the United States has worked with its partners to ensure migrants in other countries have access to regularization programs.

For example, as part of a multilateral process involving 21 countries, in May 2024, Ecuador announced a new regularization program under which certain migrants are able to obtain a temporary resident permit, while others are able to apply for a temporary visa. [ 111 ] Colombia has given 10-year temporary protected status to approximately 2.5 million Venezuelans, [ 112 ] and announced a plan for parents and legal guardians of children with such status to obtain special permits. Colombia also announced a new special permanent visa for Latin American and Caribbean migrants without regular status in the country. Similarly, Costa Rica committed to expand its Special Temporary Category regularization pathway and reduce barriers to access with continued assistance from the international community. [ 113 ]

This parole in place process demonstrates U.S. partnership and commitment to the shared goals of addressing migration through the Western Hemisphere. Partner countries have requested regularization of their respective nationals who have lived in the United States for long periods of time without lawful status. [ 114 ] For ( print page 67468) example, the Government of Mexico has urged the United States to regularize Mexican nationals who are long-term residents of the United States. [ 115 ] Further, the Government of Colombia has requested that the United States regularize certain Colombian nationals living in the United States. Both Mexico and Colombia have partnered closely with the United States to address irregular migration. [ 116 ] This parole in place process will therefore strengthen the United States' ability to cooperate and engage with these and other key partners in the region. This cooperation and engagement extends to matters of national and border security as well.

This process will also further the key foreign policy objectives of increasing economic stability in countries that are major sources of migration to the United States. By providing certain noncitizen long-term residents of the United States the ability to access employment authorization and adjustment of status, this process will enhance their ability to send remittances to family members in their countries of origin, promoting stability and reducing incentives for those family members or others to irregularly migrate to the United States. [ 117 ] Remittances play a pivotal role in origin countries' economies in the Western Hemisphere. In 2023, remittances received by the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean reached $154 billion. [ 118 ] Remittances are crucial to low- and middle-income countries, as they can improve a country's ability to repay debt and national banks can use future inflows as collateral to lower the costs of international borrowing. [ 119 ]

The process will also provide the significant public benefit of preserving and more effectively using limited U.S. government resources for DHS (including USCIS and ICE), DOS, and DOJ (EOIR). USCIS anticipates that this process will ultimately reduce pressure on the overlapping, lengthier, and more complex Form I-601A, Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver, workload. [ 120 ]

As of the third quarter of FY 2024, nearly 124,000 Forms I-601A were pending adjudication, and the median processing time to adjudicate a Form I-601A was 41.7 months. Of these pending applications, approximately 44,000, or 35 percent, were filed by noncitizens who have been in the United States for 10 years or more and are married to a U.S. citizen. While increased resources have allowed USCIS to complete more Form I-601A adjudications in FY 2024 year-to-date than in all of FY 2023, the backlog has only been reduced by 5,000 since the start of FY 2024. Although USCIS will carefully consider parole in place requests under this process on a case-by-case basis, USCIS expects that these adjudications will require fewer resources than those required to adjudicate the Form I-601A, given the nature of the adjudication. For example, requestors for this parole in place process will be required to file online, allowing for a more efficient adjudication, while the Form I-601A can only be filed on paper through the mail. USCIS has leveraged many of the efficiencies  [ 121 ] developed for the online Form I-131 in the development of Form I-131F, which will be both filed and adjudicated electronically. Furthermore, as described elsewhere in this notice, the Form I-601A is a more complex adjudication involving the determination of various factors, including whether the noncitizen has met their burden to show they would be inadmissible only under INA section 212(a)(9)(B)(i) at the time of their consular interview, and whether they have demonstrated extreme hardship to a qualifying relative as required under INA section 212(a)(9)(B)(v), issues that are inherently more difficult to assess in comparison to a discretionary parole request.

USCIS also anticipates that a significant number of noncitizens who may have otherwise filed Form I-601A as a step towards obtaining lawful permanent residence will instead pursue a parole in place request under this process. If future I-601A workloads are reduced, USCIS will be better able to focus on reducing the I-601A backlog, while assuming fewer new I-601A filings.

Although USCIS created a new Form I-131F to support this process, and USCIS will assume a new workload by accepting these parole in place requests, it will offset this new workload by charging a filing fee of $580 as it generally does for parole requests filed online. [ 122 ] Thus, USCIS anticipates it will recover the costs associated with this new workload through the fees collected.

Because this process may result in fewer noncitizens filing Forms I-601A and pursuing immigrant visa applications at U.S. embassies or consulates, the parole in place process is also expected to reduce strain on DOS. Consular processing of an immigrant visa application after USCIS approves a Form I-601A involves significant DOS resources. The provisional unlawful presence waiver does not take effect until the applicant departs the United States, appears for an immigrant visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate, and is determined by a consular officer to be otherwise eligible for an immigrant visa in light of the approved provisional waiver. [ 123 ] If the consular officer finds that the noncitizen is inadmissible based on a ground other than INA section 212(a)(9)(B)(i), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B)(i) , the provisional unlawful presence waiver is automatically revoked, and the noncitizen must seek a waiver of inadmissibility for all waivable grounds of inadmissibility through filing a Form I-601, Application for Waiver of ( print page 67469) Grounds of Inadmissibility. [ 124 ] In such cases, the noncitizen must await USCIS adjudication of the Form I-601, which has a median processing time of 20.5 months. This revocation followed by a new adjudication adds to the DOS workload and reduces interview availability for other visa applicants. The parole in place process may thus help decrease future wait times for other noncitizens who have a visa number and are waiting for a visa interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Despite considerable efforts, some U.S. consular sections are still working to reduce backlogs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. [ 125 ] As of June 2024, DOS's National Visa Center (NVC) had 394,836 individuals awaiting an immigrant visa interview; on average, the NVC can schedule 48,898 applicants for interviews each month. [ 126 ] If, as anticipated, more noncitizens pursue adjustment of status instead of consular processing, DOS could save consular interview appointments for other immigrant and nonimmigrant visa categories. While this would result in an increase in USCIS' adjustment of status workload, those filings will be accompanied by the required fee; USCIS believes that on net, implementation of the parole in place process will result in saving government resources compared to the status quo.

The parole in place process also may save resources for ICE and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) if, as a result of being granted parole in place and pursuing adjustment of status, fewer members of this population are placed in or remain in removal proceedings. Additionally, noncitizens who meet the criteria and are not priorities for enforcement may request to be considered for parole in place under this process, despite currently being in removal proceedings. If granted parole in place, they may seek to have their removal proceedings terminated or dismissed  [ 127 ] and apply to adjust their status. [ 128 ] In the currently overburdened immigration court system, cases that are terminated or dismissed free up court time and permit immigration judges and ICE OPLA attorneys to focus on priority cases.

This process will promote national security, public safety, and border security by requiring noncitizens who choose to request parole in place under this process to submit biometric and biographic information to DHS and undergo background and security checks. The information collected through this process will be used to thoroughly vet every requestor and may identify and disqualify individuals who pose a national security, public safety, or border security threat. [ 129 ] DHS has also determined that the criteria outlined in this notice—such as the requirements that the requestor have 10 years of continuous physical presence in the United States and that the marriage to a U.S. citizen must have occurred on or before June 17, 2024—promote process integrity, prevent potential fraud, and provide greater certainty about the scope of the potential population.

Further, noncitizens granted parole may be more willing to report crimes because they will be less fearful that interacting with law enforcement will result in an immigration enforcement action. [ 130 ] One study found that 59 percent of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients would report a crime that they would not have reported before receiving DACA. [ 131 ] In that same study, two-thirds of respondents said they were less afraid of law enforcement after receiving DACA. [ 132 ] Additionally, studies have shown that when vulnerable communities feel safer reporting crimes, law enforcement can create more comprehensive strategies to effectively target perpetrators. [ 133 ]

To be considered for a discretionary grant of parole in place under this process, a requestor who is the noncitizen spouse of a U.S. citizen must meet the following criteria:

  • Be present in the United States without admission or parole;
  • Have been continuously physically present in the United States since at least June 17, 2014 through the date of filing the parole in place request;
  • Have a legally valid marriage to a U.S. citizen on or before June 17, 2024;
  • Have no disqualifying criminal history; and
  • Submit biometrics, undergo required background checks and national security, public safety, and border security vetting, and be found not to pose a threat to national security or public safety.

To be considered for a discretionary grant of parole in place under this process, a requestor who is the stepchild of a U.S. citizen must meet the following criteria:

  • Have a parent who entered into a legally valid marriage with a U.S. citizen on or before June 17, 2024 and before the child's 18th birthday;
  • Have been continuously physically present in the United States since at least June 17, 2024 through the date of filing;
  • Submit biometrics, undergo required background checks and national security and public safety vetting, and be found not to pose a threat to national security or public safety.

The burden is on the requestor to demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence that they meet the criteria outlined in this notice, and that parole ( print page 67470) is warranted as a matter of discretion for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. Meeting the requirements for parole in place under this process does not establish eligibility for other immigration benefits, including LPR status.

A requestor must be present in the United States without admission or parole. Noncitizens who were last admitted with a valid nonimmigrant visa but have remained in the United States beyond the period of stay authorized are not eligible for parole in place. [ 134 ]

Noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens requesting parole in place under this process must have been continuously physically present in the United States since at least June 17, 2014, through the date of filing the parole in place request. Requestors should provide documentation to account for as much of the period as reasonably possible, but there is no requirement that every day or month of that period be specifically accounted for through direct evidence. [ 135 ] USCIS will evaluate the totality of the evidence to determine whether the requestor has established by a preponderance of the evidence continuous physical presence for the required period of time.

To be eligible for parole in place as the noncitizen spouse of a U.S. citizen, the requestor must have entered into a valid marriage to a U.S. citizen on or before June 17, 2024, and be married on the date of filing the parole in place request (with an exception for widows and widowers as discussed below). USCIS will generally recognize a marriage as valid for purposes of this parole in place process if it is legally valid in the place where the marriage was celebrated. [ 136 ] This includes termination of any prior marriage. Although States and foreign countries may have specific laws governing jurisdiction, the place of celebration is generally where the ceremony took place or where the officiant of the ceremony was located and where the marriage certificate was issued. [ 137 ] Even if a marriage is valid in the place of celebration, there are circumstances where USCIS may not recognize a marriage as valid for purposes of this process, consistent with existing case law and policies for family-based immigrant visa petitions and other benefits. [ 138 ]

Consistent with the INA and case law, examples of the types of marital relationships that USCIS generally will not recognize for purposes of this process include, but are not limited to:

  • Civil unions, domestic partnerships, or other relationships that do not confer the same legal rights and responsibilities to the parties as in a marriage recognized by a civil authority;
  • Marriages that are contrary to public policy in the United States;  [ 139 ] and
  • Marriages where one or both parties to the marriage are not legally free to marry or have not given consent to the marriage. [ 140 ]

A noncitizen may be eligible for parole in place if their U.S. citizen spouse is deceased, as long as a legally valid marriage was entered into on or before June 17, 2024. However, there are additional requirements separate from the parole in place process that the noncitizen must meet to be eligible for adjustment of status. A noncitizen widow(er) must have a pending or approved Form I-130 filed on their behalf at the time of the U.S. citizen spouse's death or must file a Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant, within two years from the date of the U.S. citizen spouse's death. The noncitizen must not have been legally separated from the U.S. citizen spouse at the time of the U.S. citizen spouse's death and must not have since remarried. [ 141 ]

Noncitizen children of a noncitizen married to a U.S. citizen may be considered for parole in place under this process. For a child to qualify as the stepchild of a U.S. citizen, the child must have been under age 18 at the time of the marriage that created the stepparent-stepchild relationship and must have been unmarried and under the age of 21  [ 142 ] as of June 17, 2024. [ 143 ]

The stepchild does not need to demonstrate continuous physical presence since June 17, 2014. However, they must have been continuously physically present in the United States since at least June 17, 2024, through the date of filing. [ 144 ] In addition, the stepchild's noncitizen parent must have entered into a legally valid marriage with a U.S. citizen on or before June 17, 2024.

If the marriage between the noncitizen parent and U.S. citizen spouse is terminated, either through divorce or death of one or both parents, the stepchild may still be eligible for parole in place if a valid marriage was entered into on or before June 17, 2024, and the stepchild meets the above criteria. [ 145 ] An ( print page 67471) eligible stepchild may file on their own with their birth certificate and evidence of their parents' valid marriage without the participation of either parent.

Requestors must not have a disqualifying criminal history or otherwise constitute a threat to national security, public safety, or border security. [ 146 ] All pending criminal charges are disqualifying, regardless of the nature of the charges. A noncitizen may apply for parole in place once those charges are resolved.

All felony convictions, including felony driving under the influence (DUI) offenses, are disqualifying. Additionally, disqualifying criminal history includes convictions for the following offenses, regardless of whether the offense is classified as a felony. [ 147 ]

  • Murder, torture, rape, or sexual abuse;
  • Offenses involving firearms, explosive materials, or destructive devices;
  • Offenses relating to peonage, slavery, involuntary servitude, and trafficking in persons;
  • Aggravated assault;
  • Offenses relating to child pornography, sexual abuse or exploitation of minors, or solicitation of minors;
  • Domestic violence, stalking, child abuse, child neglect, or child abandonment; and
  • Controlled substance offenses (other than simple possession of 30 grams or less of marijuana). [ 148 ]

All other criminal convictions, [ 149 ] excluding minor traffic offenses, will result in a rebuttable presumption of ineligibility for parole in place. This presumption can be rebutted on a case-by-case basis by weighing the seriousness of the conviction against mitigating factors relating to the conviction as well as other positive factors that suggest that the noncitizen merits a favorable exercise of discretion. The weight of the rebuttable presumption will be guided by the seriousness of the conviction. [ 150 ] A less serious conviction, or a conviction that does not raise public safety concerns, will result in a presumption that carries less weight and can be more easily rebutted. In adjudicating parole in place requests on an individualized, case-by-case basis, the nature and seriousness of the conviction will determine the evidence needed to overcome it. Factors that can be considered in overcoming the presumption may include, for example:

  • Age of the conviction(s) (remoteness in time);
  • Requestor's age at the time of the offense and conviction, including whether the requestor was a juvenile at the time of the offense;
  • Sentence or penalty imposed;
  • Evidence of subsequent rehabilitation;
  • Nature of the conviction, including whether the conduct at issue was non-violent;
  • Whether the conviction was an isolated offense when considered against the rest of the requestor's history (including consideration of whether multiple criminal convictions were on the same date and may have arisen out of the same act);
  • Existence of a mental or physical condition that may have contributed to the criminal conduct;
  • Requestor's particular vulnerability, including any physical or mental condition requiring treatment or care in the United States;
  • Requestor's status as a victim of or witness to criminal activity, including domestic violence, or civil rights violation or labor rights violation under investigation by a labor agency, particularly if related to the criminal conduct at issue;
  • Requestor's status, or that of their U.S. citizen spouse, as a current or former member of the U.S. military;
  • Requestor's status as the primary caregiver for a U.S. citizen child or elderly parent or in-law;
  • Evidence of requestor's good character, such as property ties, business ties, or value and service to the community;
  • Length of requestor's presence in the United States;
  • Requestor's status as a caregiver for an individual with disabilities, including U.S. citizen in-laws or siblings;
  • Impact on other family members, including family members who are U.S. citizens and LPRs or
  • Other factors USCIS considers relevant in its exercise of discretion.

Noncitizens with unexecuted final removal orders  [ 151 ] will be presumptively ineligible for parole in place under this process. However, DHS will evaluate, in the exercise of its discretion on a case-by-case basis, the facts and circumstances underlying the unexecuted final removal order in determining whether the noncitizen may overcome the presumption of ineligibility and be granted parole. Examples of information that may be relevant to DHS in its determination of whether the requestor has overcome the presumption of ineligibility include, but are not limited to: [ 152 ]

  • Lack of proper notice;
  • Age of the noncitizen at the time the removal order was issued;
  • Ineffective assistance of counsel or being a victim of fraud in connection with immigration representation; or
  • Other extenuating factors or considerations such as:

○ Inability to understand proceedings because of language barriers;

○ Status as a victim of domestic violence;

○ Other extenuating personal factors, such as requestor's limited resources ( e.g., lack of housing that would have impacted ability to appear);

  • A physical or mental condition requiring care or treatment during immigration proceedings. [ 153 ]

Eligible noncitizens who are currently in removal proceedings under INA section 240, including those who have been released under INA section 236(a) on bond or their own recognizance, and those without a final removal order, may submit a request to be considered for parole in place on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the totality of the circumstances, under this process. [ 154 ] Note, however, that a noncitizen who constitutes a national security, public safety, or border security concern is ineligible for parole under this process. [ 155 ] Further, this process does not preclude DHS from, in its discretionary authority, taking enforcement actions as deemed appropriate.

As discussed in this notice, DHS's decision whether to grant parole in place to a requestor is a discretionary, case-by-case determination. Even if a requestor establishes that they have met all of the criteria for eligibility, USCIS will examine the totality of the circumstances in the individual case to determine whether the requestor merits a grant of parole in place as a matter of discretion for significant public benefit or urgent humanitarian reasons. In doing so, USCIS will weigh the positive factors against the negative factors that are present in the record. Requestors may provide evidence of positive factors to establish that they merit a favorable exercise of discretion, which may relate to, but are not limited to:

  • Community ties;
  • Advanced or young age;
  • Length of presence in the United States;
  • Status as a parent or caregiver of a U.S. citizen child or elderly parent or in-law;
  • Status as a caregiver for an individual with disabilities, including U.S. citizen in-laws or siblings;
  • Physical or mental condition requiring care or treatment in the United States;
  • Status as a victim of or witness to a crime or civil rights violation, or labor rights violation under investigation by a labor agency;
  • Impact on other family members, including family members who are U.S. citizens and LPRs;
  • Status, or that of their U.S. citizen spouse, as a current or former member of the U.S. military; or
  • Other positive factors about which the requestor wishes to provide information.

This is a non-exhaustive list of factors; USCIS may consider any relevant fact in the discretionary analysis.

Requestors seeking parole in place as the spouse or stepchild of a U.S. citizen must submit Form I-131F, Application for Parole in Place for Certain Noncitizen Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens, online with the appropriate fee. To submit Form I-131F, requestors must both complete the required form fields and submit the required evidence establishing eligibility.

Requestors must submit the required evidence establishing eligibility, in compliance with Form I-131F instructions. Required documentation for noncitizen spouse requestors includes the following:

  • Proof of identity, which may include:

○ Valid State or country driver's license or identification;

○ Birth certificate with photo identification;

○ Valid passport; or

○ Any government issued document bearing the requestor's name, date of birth, and photo. [ 156 ]

  • Evidence establishing their continuous physical presence since at least June 17, 2014, which may include, but is not limited to:

○ Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax transcripts listing tax information;

○ Rent receipts or utility bills;

○ Deeds, mortgage statements, or rental contracts;

○ Bank, credit card, or loan statements showing regular transactions;

○ Insurance policies;

○ Automobile license receipts, title, or registration;

○ Hospital or medical records;

○ School records (letters, report cards, etc.);

○ Attestations to the requestor's physical presence by religious entities, unions, or other civic or community organizations;

○ Official records from a religious entity confirming the requestor's participation in a religious ceremony;

○ Birth certificates for children born in the United States;

○ Money order receipts for money sent into or out of the United States; or

○ Any other document that shows that the requestor maintained continuous physical presence in the United States for the requisite time period.

  • Evidence establishing a valid marriage between the noncitizen spouse and U.S. citizen:

○ Current marriage certificate showing a legally valid marriage took place on or before June 17, 2024;

○ Any divorce decree, annulment decree, or death certificate showing that the noncitizen spouse's and their U.S. citizen spouse's prior marriages were terminated (if applicable); and

○ Death certificate of U.S. citizen spouse (if applicable).

  • Proof of the U.S. citizenship status of the spouse/stepparent, which must include one of the following: ( print page 67473)

○ The spouse's/stepparent's U.S. birth certificate (if the spouse has held U.S. citizenship since birth);

○ The spouse's/stepparent's Certificate of Naturalization;

○ The spouse's/stepparent's Certificate of Citizenship;

○ The spouse's/stepparent's Form FS-240, Consular Report of Birth Abroad; or

○ The biographical page of the spouse's/stepparent's current U.S. passport.

  • Arrest records and court dispositions of any arrests, charges, and convictions (if applicable).

Required documentation for noncitizen stepchild requestors includes the following:

  • The birth certificate of the stepchild listing the name of the noncitizen parent as a natural parent;
  • Proof of identity (as listed above);
  • Evidence establishing their continuous physical presence since June 17, 2024 (as listed above);
  • Evidence establishing a legally valid marriage between the noncitizen stepchild's noncitizen parent and the noncitizen stepchild's U.S. citizen stepparent took place on or before June 17, 2024 (as listed above);
  • Proof of the U.S. citizenship status of the spouse/stepparent (as listed above);

This parole in place process will be implemented in accordance with the lessons learned from similar processes, while building on technological advances and efficiencies in USCIS processing.

Each requestor must submit Form I-131F with the applicable filing fee, as listed on Form G-1055, Fee Schedule (currently $580). Fee waivers are not available, and requests must be submitted online. For information on creating a USCIS online account, visit www.uscis.gov/​file-online/​how-to-create-a-uscis-online-account . Each requestor, including noncitizen stepchild requestors, must file a separate Form I-131F and pay the fee individually.

After the requestor files Form I-131F, they will be required to provide biometrics to USCIS, including fingerprints, photographs, and a signature. The requestor's biometric information will be used to conduct background checks, including checks for criminal history records, verify identity, determine eligibility for requested benefits, create immigration documents ( e.g., Employment Authorization Documents), or for any other purpose authorized by the INA. [ 157 ] After the requestor files the Form I-131F online, USCIS will notify the noncitizen in writing of the time and location for a biometric services appointment. Failure to appear for biometrics submission may result in a denial of the parole in place request.

Noncitizens who meet the criteria listed in this notice may be considered for a discretionary grant of parole on a case-by-case basis. USCIS may grant parole in place to the requestor if USCIS determines that there is a significant public benefit or urgent humanitarian reason for parole and that the requestor merits a favorable exercise of discretion in the totality of the circumstances.

USCIS may prioritize the adjudication of Form I-131F for noncitizens who previously filed a Form I-601A. In establishing this parole in place process, DHS considered that certain noncitizens eligible for the parole in place process will have already prepared, filed, and paid a filing fee for a Form I-601A. USCIS has determined that prioritizing the adjudication of Forms I-131F filed by these noncitizens is justified in recognition that they availed themselves of existing processes to pursue an immigrant visa but may nonetheless wish to pursue parole in place to avoid the costs and potential separation or disruption to their family that consular processing entails. Additionally, prioritizing this population may have the downstream effect of reducing the adjudicatory resources needed for pending Forms I-601A as noncitizens who are granted parole in place through this process may subsequently apply, and be approved, for adjustment of status to that of an LPR.

Upon a grant of parole in place, the noncitizen will receive a Form I-797, Notice of Action, and a Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record.

If granted parole in place on a case-by-case basis in the exercise of discretion, parole will generally be granted for a period of up to three years. Parole may be terminated at any time upon notice at DHS's discretion pursuant to 8 CFR 212.5(e)(2)(i) . DHS does not contemplate a re-parole process at this time.

In addition, USCIS, in its sole discretion, may impose conditions on a grant of parole with respect to any noncitizen under this process, and it may request verification of the noncitizen's compliance with any such condition at any time. [ 158 ] Violation of any condition of parole may lead to termination of the parole in accordance with 8 CFR 212.5(e) .

If parole in place is granted, the parolee will be eligible to request an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) pursuant to 8 CFR 274a.12(c)(11) , as recipients of parole under INA section 212(d)(5), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5) . An individual seeking employment authorization as a parolee (category (c)(11)) may request a waiver of the Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, fee by submitting Form I-912, Request for Fee Waiver along with the Form I-765.

A grant of parole in place does not establish eligibility for an immigrant visa petition or a presumption that the marriage is bona fide for purposes of an immigrant visa petition or other immigration benefits. Following a grant of parole to a noncitizen, the U.S. citizen spouse or stepparent of the noncitizen is encouraged to file a Form I-130, or, in the case of certain widow(er)s, the noncitizen may file Form I-360, concurrently with the Form I-485 if they have not filed a standalone Form I-130 or Form I-360 already. For purposes of Form I-130 based on marriage, a petitioner must demonstrate that they entered into a bona fide marriage with the beneficiary, and for a Form I-130 for a stepchild, the petitioner must demonstrate they entered into a bona fide marriage to the beneficiary's noncitizen parent. There are additional requirements for Form I-360 for certain widow(er)s and their children, including filing deadlines, residence requirements, and marital status requirements. [ 159 ] A stepchild may remain eligible for an immigrant visa despite their parent's marriage to a U.S. citizen being terminated through death of either parent or divorce, so long as a bona fide stepparent-stepchild relationship continued to exist following the death or divorce.

Further, a discretionary grant of parole does not in itself establish eligibility for adjustment of status to that of an LPR under INA section 245(a), 8 U.S.C. 1255(a) . As discussed elsewhere in this notice, a grant of parole would satisfy the requirement under INA section 245(a), 8 U.S.C. 1255(a) , that the applicant has been inspected and admitted or paroled by an immigration officer. The noncitizen, however, must satisfy all other requirements for adjustment of status, including establishing that they are not inadmissible under any applicable grounds. [ 160 ] As noted, if the noncitizen is granted parole in place, the noncitizen and their spouse or stepparent would need to file Form I-130 (if not previously filed) and Form I-485. [ 161 ]

DHS generally will not use information contained in a request for parole in place under this process for the purpose of initiating immigration enforcement action against the requestor unless DHS determines, in its discretion, the requestor poses a threat to national security, public safety, or border security. [ 162 ] This process does not preclude DHS from, in its discretionary authority, taking enforcement actions as deemed appropriate, in accordance with the INA and consistent with governing policies and practices, against noncitizens who may be eligible or who have pending applications for parole under this process. Information provided under this process may be otherwise disclosed consistent with statutory authorities, obligations, and restrictions, as well as governing privacy and information-sharing policies.

As provided under INA section 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) , parole decisions are made by the Secretary “in his discretion.” This process is being implemented as a matter of the Secretary's discretion, and the Secretary retains the sole discretion to terminate parole in place under this process at any point. It is not intended to, shall not be construed to, may not be relied upon to, and does not create any rights, privileges, benefits, substantive or procedural, enforceable by any party in any matter, civil or criminal, against the United States, its departments, agencies, or other entities, its officers or employees, or any other person.

In establishing this process, DHS considered various alternatives, as well as the impacts on resources and processing and the broader impacts on both the Federal government and State and local governments.

In exercising the Secretary's discretionary parole authority to establish a parole in place process, DHS considered various alternatives to the process.

First, DHS considered whether it could instead dedicate additional resources to the processing of pending Forms I-601A. As discussed elsewhere in this notice, the provisional unlawful presence waiver process allows certain noncitizens, including spouses of U.S. citizens, to obtain a provisional unlawful presence waiver prior to their departure from the United States to pursue an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. It is intended to reduce the time noncitizens must spend apart from their U.S. citizen family members while increasing certainty that they will be granted a waiver of the inadmissibility ground that is triggered once they depart. [ 163 ] However, the provisional unlawful presence waiver process still entails some period of families being separated because it requires consular processing abroad after approval of the Form I-601A, often at great financial cost. It also involves some level of uncertainty and risk. The grant of a provisional waiver is not a guarantee that the waiver of inadmissibility or the immigrant visa, will ultimately be granted. [ 164 ] Likewise, a grant of parole in place does not guarantee that an application for adjustment of status will be approved, but because the application process takes place while the applicant is in the United States, noncitizens may be more likely to pursue this option. For some families, even a short-term separation from a family member, whose income or other household contributions are needed, may be untenable.

Moreover, even if, as an alternative to this process, USCIS dedicated additional resources to provisional waiver processing, doing so would not provide the previously noted significant public benefit of this process. As described in Section IV of this notice, this process furthers diplomatic relationships and foreign policy objectives. It also sets out a streamlined and less resource intensive adjudication, as compared to the more complex and resource intensive provisional waiver process which involves determining if the applicant has met their burden of proving they would be inadmissible only for unlawful presence upon departure, and that they have demonstrated extreme hardship to a qualifying relative. [ 165 ] Although USCIS has significantly increased resources devoted to the Form I-601A backlog relative to previous years, the backlog of pending applications will still take at least three years to be meaningfully reduced. Accordingly, although USCIS considered dedicating even more resources to Form I-601A processing, it concluded that doing so would not effectively address the backlog in the near term or support timely adjudications of other workloads as compared to the processing efficiencies gained through implementation of this parole in place process.

USCIS anticipates that its adjudication of parole requests under this process will be less resource-intensive than the adjudication of Form I-601A applications, given process efficiencies that USCIS has identified in adjudicating parole requests in other parole processes, and considering the complexity and resources required for the I-601A adjudication. And unlike the provisional waiver process, parole in place will not entail a period of separation from U.S. citizen family members or, alternatively, require U.S. citizen family members to depart the United States with the noncitizen. Additionally, it will obviate the need for consular processing, thereby diverting noncitizens with parole in place from DOS backlogs and reducing wait times for other noncitizens seeking visas at U.S. consulates.

While the Form I-601A process will remain critical for other categories of immigrant visa applicants who are not eligible for this process, parole in place offers a less onerous path for a subset of the I-601A-eligible population who have lived in the United States for at least 10 years, are married to U.S. citizens or are the noncitizen ( print page 67475) stepchildren of U.S. citizens, have no disqualifying factors, and merit a favorable exercise of discretion.

DHS acknowledges that there will be an increase in filings of Form I-765, as well as an increase in Form I-130 and Form I-485 filings but notes that these forms have associated filing fees that cover the cost of adjudication, and USCIS has implemented streamlined processing for certain categories of employment authorization documents, and other immigration benefit requests, including those filed by parolees. In considering all the factors, DHS determined that the benefits of implementing this process, as discussed in Section IV of this notice, outweigh any additional workload assumed by USCIS.

Second, DHS has considered alternative approaches in designing this process. Specifically, in proposing parameters for this process, DHS considered the following alternatives:

  • Length of requisite physical presence: DHS considered the time period by which a requestor would likely have established deep ties to their communities in the United States in determining the period of continuous physical presence required to access this process. In making this determination, DHS considered whether a longer period (such as 15 years) or a shorter period (such as five or eight years) was more appropriate and considered estimates of the potential population for each of these time periods. Because Congress has articulated a 10-year length of continuous presence as a prerequisite for certain non-LPR noncitizens to seek lawful permanent residence through a separate process known as cancellation of removal, [ 166 ] DHS concluded that 10 years would be an appropriate length of time to require noncitizens to have been present in the United States to access this process.

DHS also considered whether the noncitizen could continue to accrue the required 10 years of continuous physical presence until the time a parole request is filed, or whether the noncitizen must have accrued the 10 years by the time the process was announced. DHS determined that requiring continuous physical presence to have accrued by a certain date provides greater predictability and certainty about the scope of the potential population, which in turn will assist DHS in determining the appropriate resources to dedicate to this process. Requiring 10 years of continuous physical presence by June 17, 2024 for noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens also provides clarity to the public and avoids unintentionally incentivizing any irregular migration by noncitizens who might otherwise seek to enter the United States to access this process.

  • Marriage to a U.S. citizen: In requiring noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens to have a legally valid marriage on or before June 17, 2024, DHS considered whether marriages that took place after this date could nevertheless be qualifying. DHS determined that requiring marriages to have taken place by June 17, 2024 would better promote process integrity, prevent potential fraud, and provide greater certainty about the scope of the potential population.

DHS also considered whether marriage to an LPR could be a qualifying factor and determined against it because a primary goal of establishing this proposed process is to remove a barrier to an immigration benefit that may otherwise be immediately available to the noncitizen. When a noncitizen marries a U.S. citizen, they qualify as an “immediate relative” under the INA and are able to immediately apply for LPR status ( i.e., without needing to wait for an immigrant visa to become available). [ 167 ] Noncitizen spouses of LPRs who lack lawful status do not qualify as “immediate relatives” and therefore do not have an immediate path to adjustment of status (even if granted parole) because they must wait for an immigrant visa to become available before they can apply for LPR status. They also are subject to other ineligibility provisions barring adjustment of status that are not applicable to spouses of U.S. citizens. [ 168 ]

DHS considered whether the marriage must be of a specified duration ( e.g., two years) at the time of the parole in place request, particularly to address potential concerns about marriage fraud and integrity of this process. The fixed date by which the marriage must have taken place (June 17, 2024), eliminates any concern that individuals may marry solely to take advantage of this process. Moreover, USCIS will further assess the validity of the marriage for immigration purposes, including a thorough review of the bona fides of the marriage, during its consideration of the Form I-130 and Form I-485. In its consideration of these forms, USCIS will employ its standard, rigorous procedures to detect potential marriage fraud, further ensuring that fraudulent marriages will not serve as the basis for a grant of adjustment of status following access to this parole in place process. Finally, USCIS can grant adjustment of status to conditional lawful permanent residents on the basis of marriage to a U.S. citizen when the marriage is less than two years in length. Therefore, DHS determined that this process will not require that the marriage be of a specified length, though DHS requires that the marriage be legally valid in the place of celebration as of June 17, 2024.

DHS also decided to include widow(er)s who entered into a legally valid marriage with a U.S. citizen prior to June 17, 2024. DHS believes that including this population furthers the goals of the process because widow(er)s of U.S. citizens may continue to be eligible for immigrant visa petition approval and to apply to adjust status if certain requirements are met. DHS also notes that including this population is consistent with the process for family members of military service members, in which the widow(er) of a deceased U.S. citizen service member is eligible for parole in place. To be eligible for immigrant visa petition approval and be eligible to apply to adjust status, the widow(er) must have a Form I-130 filed on their behalf at the time of the U.S. citizen's death or file a Form I-360 within two years of the U.S. citizen's death. The widow(er) must also be unmarried when their immigrant visa petition is adjudicated. A widow(er)'s children may also be eligible for immigrant visa petition approval and to adjust status as the derivative child of the widow(er). For these reasons, DHS determined that, based on continued eligibility to apply for an immigration benefit and adjustment of status, spouses and stepchildren of deceased U.S. citizens could qualify for this parole process if they demonstrate the additional qualifying criteria at the time of filing an immigrant visa petition.

  • Stepchildren of a U.S. citizen: Noncitizens who are granted parole under this process may have children in the United States who lack lawful status and who are unable to adjust their status without facing the same barriers that their noncitizen parents would encounter in the absence of a parole in place grant under this process.

DHS determined that providing these noncitizen stepchildren access to this process is necessary to fully meet its objective of promoting the unity and stability of families in which a U.S. citizen is married to a noncitizen who lacks lawful status. DHS estimates that 50,000 noncitizen children of ( print page 67476) noncitizen spouses who are married to U.S. citizens may be eligible to request consideration under this process. However, DHS is requiring that the noncitizen stepchild have been continuously physically present in the United States without admission or parole since at least June 17, 2024, and through the date of filing, since children may be under the age of 10 or otherwise unable to meet the 10 years required for noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens. Additionally, as with the physical presence requirement for spouses, requiring physical presence in the United States as of a date prior to announcing this process avoids unintentionally incentivizing any irregular migration by noncitizens who might otherwise seek to enter the United States to access this process.

DHS also considered limiting this parole in place process to children whose noncitizen parent was also requesting parole. DHS determined that noncitizen stepchildren of a U.S. citizen may apply for an immigrant visa petition separately even if the noncitizen parent does not have an immigrant visa or status, and therefore should not be excluded from this process. A qualifying noncitizen stepchild of a U.S. citizen may be eligible as a beneficiary of Form I-130 based on their relationship with the U.S. citizen stepparent. This is the case even if the parents divorced or the noncitizen parent died. As such, DHS determined that noncitizen stepchildren who would otherwise be eligible as a beneficiary of Form I-130 based on a stepparent-stepchild relationship, notwithstanding divorce of the parents or death of the noncitizen parent, should also be eligible to request parole in place under this process.

  • Criminal history and threats to national security, public safety or border security: DHS determined that noncitizens with serious criminal convictions will be ineligible for parole under this process. [ 169 ] DHS also determined that other criminal convictions (other than minor traffic offenses) will result in a presumption of ineligibility for parole. This presumption can be rebutted on a case-by-case basis by weighing the seriousness of the conviction against positive factors that overcome the presumption. [ 170 ] Additionally, all requestors will undergo rigorous national security and public safety vetting as part of this process. Those individuals who pose a threat to national security, public safety or border security  [ 171 ] will be disqualified from this process and, where appropriate, will be referred to law enforcement. In making these determinations, DHS considered that certain criminal convictions were likely to render a noncitizen statutorily ineligible for adjustment of status, and decided that those criminal convictions that are disqualifying for this process would generally overlap with the statutory inadmissibility grounds. In addition, DHS determined that noncitizens with pending criminal charges will be ineligible for parole in place under this process until those charges are resolved.
  • Parole period length: DHS determined that a three-year grant of parole was most appropriate for this process, though it considered both shorter and longer periods of time. Other processes, such as the family reunification parole processes, provide for up to a three-year grant of parole.

After being granted parole in place, the noncitizen will generally be eligible to apply to adjust their status if they have an approved Form I-130 or their Form I-485 is accompanied by a Form I-130. The benefits of parole (including lawful presence and employment authorization) will remain in effect for the period of parole. Currently, the median processing time for an immediate relative Form I-130, when filed separately from a Form I-485, is 11.4 months, for Form I-360 (all categories) is 3.2 months, and the median processing time for a family-based Form I-485, when filed separately from a Form I-130, is 9.4 months. [ 172 ] Concurrent filing of these two forms is permitted for noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens. Assuming that noncitizens would need time to compile evidence for these applications, save the necessary funds to pay fees, and file these applications, a three-year grant of parole will provide an appropriate amount of time to obtain adjustment of status following the grant of parole in place based on median USCIS processing times. A shorter timeframe would likely be insufficient to cover the time needed to prepare and file the adjustment application, while a longer timeframe would risk disincentivizing parolees from timely applying for adjustment of status.

In making this determination, DHS considered that parole in place is granted for certain military family members for a one-year period, which currently is subject to subsequent periods of parole in one-year increments, and is also fee exempt. Additionally, military parole in place is available for a broader category of relatives: spouses, widow(er)s, parents, and sons and daughters of U.S. citizen or LPR military members and veterans, whereas this process is open only to certain noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens who may have an immediate path to adjustment of status. However, in more recent parole processes, DHS has found that a longer parole period is more efficient for the public and the agency as it reduces the need for recipients to seek re-parole. [ 173 ] A three-year parole period was therefore determined to be appropriate for certain noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to ensure that they have sufficient time to obtain adjustment of status during their parole period, especially given that re-parole for requestors granted parole under this process is not contemplated at this time.

  • Removal proceedings: DHS considered whether and how a parole in place process should be available to noncitizens in pending removal proceedings under INA section 240, 8 U.S.C. 1229a . Given that some noncitizens in removal proceedings may be eligible to adjust status if granted parole, USCIS will consider requests for otherwise eligible noncitizens in pending removal proceedings who do not have a final order of removal. This includes those who have been released on bond or their own recognizance under INA section 236(a), 8 U.S.C. 1226(a) , provided they remain applicants for admission. USCIS will coordinate with ICE OPLA as it deems appropriate. A noncitizen who is considered a national security, public safety or border security concern will be generally disqualified from receiving ( print page 67477) parole in place pursuant to this process. However, given the overall objective to preserve family unity, there is an exception for border security concerns for stepchildren who were placed into proceedings after November 1, 2020, who otherwise meet the criteria for parole in place under this process. In such cases, USCIS will consider any extenuating or mitigating factors, including family unity, age at the time of placement in proceedings, or other factors that USCIS considers relevant in the exercise of discretion. The exception for border security for certain noncitizen stepchildren of a U.S. citizen is consistent with the eligibility requirement for this process as stated in section V.A. of this preamble (explaining that noncitizen stepchildren may request parole in place under this process), the requirement for continuous physical presence in the United States only covers June 17, 2024 through the date of filing.
  • Prior removal orders: DHS considered whether noncitizens with unexecuted final removal orders should be eligible for this process. DHS determined that noncitizens with unexecuted final removal orders will be presumptively ineligible for parole under this process. DHS recognizes that a noncitizen may have grounds to request that an immigration judge or the BIA reopen their immigration proceedings when they are otherwise eligible for adjustment of status, and thus determined that categorical ineligibility for this parole process would be inappropriate. As a result, DHS will evaluate, in the exercise of its discretion on a case-by-case basis, the facts and circumstances underlying the unexecuted final removal order and all other mitigating factors presented in determining whether the noncitizen may overcome the rebuttable presumption of ineligibility and be granted parole in place. [ 174 ]

DHS acknowledges that granting parole in place to requestors with unexecuted removal orders could increase the volume of motions to reopen removal proceedings that EOIR will receive, and which ICE OPLA will review and respond to, as appropriate. DHS believes that a rebuttable presumption of ineligibility, and consideration of the factors listed in Section V.B. of this notice strike an appropriate balance to providing access to parole in place under this process to noncitizens who may have grounds to support the granting of parole in place. If granted parole in place, noncitizens who are prima facie eligible for adjustment of status may independently pursue reopening and dismissal of their case before EOIR to permit the filing of an adjustment of status application before USCIS.

  • Form I-130: DHS considered whether the noncitizen should be required to have an approved Form I-130 prior to being granted parole in place under this process, given that it is a prerequisite for access to the FRP processes. However, DHS anticipates that many noncitizens who will benefit from this process may not yet have filed a Form I-130 because they are currently ineligible to adjust status and may not wish to pursue consular processing given the prospect of prolonged separation from their U.S. citizen family members. Requiring a previously approved Form I-130 could disqualify a significant portion of this population from this process and would be less effective in achieving the significant public benefits described in this notice, including of stabilizing and unifying families and enabling these noncitizens to contribute more fully to the U.S. economy. Moreover, immediate relatives who have been paroled are eligible to file their Form I-130 concurrently with their Form I-485. Requiring that a noncitizen file a Form I-130—either alone, or concurrently with a Form I-485—to request parole in place under this process would create significant inefficiencies and run counter to DHS' goal of reducing strain on limited government resources.
  • Form I-134: DHS considered whether the noncitizen should be required to file Form I-134, Declaration of Financial Support, which USCIS uses in certain circumstances to determine whether applicants or beneficiaries of certain immigration benefit requests have sufficient financial resources or financial support to pay for expenses during their temporary stay in the United States. [ 175 ] However, DHS declined to include a requirement for submission of Form I-134 for this parole in place process. USCIS has not generally required Form I-134 for parole in place requests. For the existing military parole in place process, noncitizen family members of U.S. military service members who are granted parole in place are required to file Form I-864, Affidavit of Support Under INA Section 213A when they file for adjustment of status. Form I-864A is executed by a sponsor as evidence that the noncitizen has adequate means of financial support and are not likely at any time to become a public charge under INA section 212(a)(4)(A), 8 U.S.C 1182(a)(4)(A) . Similarly, following a grant of parole in place through this process, noncitizen spouses and noncitizen stepchildren are expected to apply to adjust status, at which time they too will be required to submit a Form I-864. Once adjustment of status is granted, the sponsorship obligations associated with the Form I-864 remain in effect until, for example, the noncitizen naturalizes or is credited with 40 quarters of work. [ 176 ]

DHS has, therefore, determined that requiring a noncitizen to submit a Form I-134 as part of their parole in place request when shortly thereafter, they will be required to submit a Form I-864 with their adjustment of status application, is unnecessarily duplicative and adds an extra burden on requestors. Moreover, requiring USCIS officers to adjudicate similar but unrelated evidence related to financial support would create inefficiencies that run counter to DHS's goals of reducing strain on limited government resources and facilitating access to adjustment of status through this process.

  • Inadmissibility: DHS additionally considered requiring the requestor to demonstrate that they are not inadmissible under any ground set forth in INA section 212(a), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a) , to be granted parole under this process. This parole in place process is meant for those requestors who are otherwise eligible to adjust status. As noted elsewhere in this notice, serious criminal convictions, including certain convictions that would render the requestor inadmissible and therefore ineligible for adjustment of status, will be disqualifying for this process; other criminal convictions, as well as prior, unexecuted removal orders, will trigger a rebuttable presumption of ineligibility for this process. However, detailed consideration of grounds of inadmissibility—including whether applicable grounds can be waived—is a complex analysis undertaken during the Form I-485 adjustment of status adjudication. Requiring parole in place adjudicators to conduct the inadmissibility analysis that is normally conducted at the adjustment of status stage would be an inefficient, duplicative, and costly use of USCIS resources. Therefore, when assessing eligibility for parole in place, while DHS will consider the requestor's criminal and immigration history and any other ( print page 67478) adverse factors that could bear upon admissibility, it will not import the admissibility analysis conducted at the Form I-485 stage into the parole adjudication.

As discussed elsewhere in this notice, a grant of parole in place would satisfy the requirement under INA section 245(a), 8 U.S.C. 1255(a) , that the adjustment applicant has been “inspected and admitted or paroled” by an immigration officer. This process is meant for requestors who are otherwise eligible for adjustment of status and who merit a favorable exercise of discretion; the noncitizen, however, when applying to adjust status, must satisfy all other requirements for adjustment of status, including establishing that the requestor is not inadmissible under any applicable grounds.

DHS has considered the potential impact of this process on noncitizens applying for other immigration benefits. While there could be an impact initially on wait times for other USCIS-administered immigration programs and processes, over time, this process will assist USCIS in creating efficiencies in other workloads. For example, USCIS will be able to reduce processing times more quickly for the Form I-601A because some noncitizens who would have filed a Form I-601A and pursued consular processing would instead request parole in place and adjustment of status. DHS also considered the potential impact of this process on USCIS operations. This process will result in an increased number of individuals visiting USCIS Application Support Centers (ASC) to have their biometrics collected and will require USCIS to divert some resources to develop the technical solutions to administer this process and complete the adjudications. However, because USCIS will require all parole in place requestors to pay a fee, it is anticipated that the agency will recover fully the costs associated with this workload.

USCIS also anticipates that this process will lead to increased filings of Forms I-485 because some noncitizens who would otherwise seek lawful permanent residence via consular processing, or would have remained without status, will now seek adjustment of status. However, USCIS expects that the costs to the agency of adjudicating increased volumes of Forms I-485 will be in large part recovered by the Form I-485 fees. DHS has also determined that any additional adjudicatory costs are warranted by the significant public benefits described throughout this notice.

Finally, the process will provide needed relief to U.S. embassies and consulates, some of which have significant backlogs of noncitizens awaiting interviews for immigrant visa applications.

DHS has considered the impact of the proposed process on eligibility for Federal public benefits. Only noncitizens who are considered “qualified aliens” may access certain Federal public benefits programs. [ 177 ] “Qualified aliens” include noncitizens paroled under INA section 212(d)(5), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5) , for a period of at least one year, as well as lawful permanent residents and several other categories.

However, nearly all of these benefits programs are available only to noncitizens who have been in “qualified” status for at least five years. For example, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) generally requires noncitizens to have been in “qualified” status for five years before they may potentially receive benefits. Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) similarly generally require five years in “qualified” status for noncitizens who entered after August 22, 1996. [ 178 ] Given that noncitizens eligible for this process are estimated on average to have lived in the United States for 23 years, [ 179 ] DHS anticipates that the majority of those who may be considered for parole in place will have entered after this date. Accordingly, most noncitizens who receive parole pursuant to this process will not be eligible to access public Federal benefits for at least five years. And, although the provision of parole in place will start the five-year waiting period prior to adjustment of status, DHS anticipates that the uptake of these public benefits would likely be curtailed by the noncitizen's access to lawful employment. Upon receipt of employment authorization and gainful employment, spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens may no longer need or qualify for public benefits. Additionally, noncitizens' eventual potential ability to access benefits after being granted parole through this process may well be offset by increased tax revenue and other economic benefits created by their ability to obtain lawful employment.

Unlike the analysis that most noncitizens who receive parole pursuant to this process will not be eligible to access public benefits for at least five years, Cuban and Haitian nationals who are granted parole are eligible for special “Cuban-Haitian Entrant Program” (CHEP) benefits. [ 180 ]

DHS considered the potential impact of the proposed process on State budgets, including noncitizens' access to means tested benefits, driver's licenses, and public education. As discussed elsewhere in this notice, DHS also considered the potential economic benefit to State and local governments through the provision of employment authorization to eligible parolees, and increased tax revenue to States that will result from this process. A comprehensive quantified accounting of local and State fiscal impacts specifically due to this parole in place process is not possible, in part due to the case-by-case nature of the determinations. DHS cannot predict with the available information the impact these noncitizens might have on State and local programs or the degree they will contribute to State and local budgets.

Access to means-tested benefits for eligible noncitizens varies at the State level. States can accept Federal funds to assist them with providing such benefits and have the authority to determine the eligibility of qualified noncitizens for certain designated Federal programs including TANF, Medicaid, and CHIP. Several States-including Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, and Texas-deny some qualified noncitizens access to TANF even after the five-year waiting period has elapsed. While means-tested benefit costs at both the Federal and State levels could increase because of potential earlier access to qualified noncitizen status for the purpose of benefits eligibility than would otherwise be the case absent this parole in place process, for most States, any increase in benefit-based spending for these parolees will be delayed by the five-year waiting period. Upon receipt of employment authorization and gainful employment, spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens may no ( print page 67479) longer need or qualify for public benefits. Additionally, noncitizens' eventual potential ability to access benefits after being granted parole through this process may well be offset by increased tax revenue and other economic benefits created by their ability to obtain lawful employment.

The extent to which this process will impact States in the short term because of noncitizens granted parole gaining access to driver's licenses will depend on State policy. Although 19 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico already provide noncitizens access to driver's licenses regardless of immigration status, other States make access to driver's licenses contingent on lawful immigration status. However, the REAL ID Act of 2005  [ 181 ] and its implementing regulations exclude parolees from the list of categories of individuals eligible for REAL ID-compliant licenses. Therefore, whether noncitizens who are granted parole under this process can receive driver's licenses will depend upon States' willingness to continue to issue non-REAL ID compliant licenses to this population, either because they issue driver's licenses to noncitizens regardless of their immigration status or because they contemplate issuing licenses to noncitizens in immigration statuses beyond those included in the REAL ID Act. DHS acknowledges that the provision of parole in place may enable noncitizens to pursue adjustment of status sooner than they otherwise would, and in States where a noncitizen would not have access to a driver's license before becoming an LPR, this process would render them eligible to apply for a driver's license sooner. However, many States may also charge fees for driver's licenses, and therefore the cost to States caused by additional noncitizens becoming eligible for driver's licenses following a grant of parole in place under this process may be mitigated.

DHS also considered the impact of this process on State education costs. DHS recognizes that undocumented noncitizen students receive K-12 education that is publicly funded. Although the provision of parole to some of these undocumented noncitizen students may result in some indirect fiscal effects on State and local governments, the direction of the effect is dependent on multiple factors. Given the criteria requiring stepchildren of U.S. citizens to be continuously physically present in the United States since at least June 17, 2024, these noncitizens would already be present in the United States and likely attending public school even in the absence of this process.

While some States may allow noncitizens with parole to qualify for in-state tuition rates at public universities, which may not be available to similarly situated noncitizens without parole, the costs to the States will depend on choices they make and will be location-specific. The fiscal impact is therefore difficult to quantify, let alone predict. However, any cost associated with additional access to in-state tuition rates at public universities may be offset by the further pursuit of education and the resultant economic benefits. The provision of parole and employment authorization may motivate recipients to continue their education, pursue post-secondary and advanced degrees, and seek additional vocational training, which ultimately provides greater opportunities, financial stability, and disposable income for themselves and their families. [ 182 ] This in turn benefits their communities at large and increases the potential economic benefit to State and local governments.

As described throughout this notice, this process will provide multiple significant benefits to the U.S. public. DHS has identified and considered the interests of the parties affected by establishment of this process and has, to the extent possible, determined that the significant public benefits of the case-by-case parole of noncitizens under this process to the United States outweigh the anticipated costs to Federal and State governments alike. Additionally, given that the population eligible to request parole in place under this process is limited to those who have been continuously physically present in the United States since June 17, 2014, or in the case of stepchildren of U.S. citizens, since at least June 17, 2024, DHS does not believe this process will meaningfully affect or create incentives for noncitizens to enter the United States.

According to DHS analysis from the Office of Homeland Security Statistics, this process could benefit an estimated 500,000 unauthorized noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens as well as an estimated 50,000 unauthorized noncitizen stepchildren of U.S. citizens. The estimated 500,000 unauthorized noncitizen spouses is the average of the estimated interval of 300,000 to 700,000 potential noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens. To provide a more informed analysis when estimating costs, benefits, and transfers of this process, DHS assumes two scenarios: one designates “ scenario 350K” as a low population estimate scenario that includes 300,000 spouses and 50,000 stepchildren, and the other designates “ scenario 750K” as a high population estimate that includes 700,000 spouses and 50,000 stepchildren. [ 183 ] For the final estimated numbers DHS takes the point estimate, that is the average between the low estimate and high estimate scenarios.

Using data on the estimated unauthorized immigrant population living in the United States, [ 184 ] DHS first estimates the broader unauthorized population present in the United States for at least 10 years. DHS then separates the unauthorized populations into two categories, making assumptions on the population that is PWAP (previously known as entered without inspection or EWI) and the population that overstayed their period of admission. The PWAP population is the population of interest under this process. Once the PWAP population in the United States is estimated, DHS filters this population by the proportion of the unauthorized population married to a U.S. citizen, [ 185 ] which yields the estimated 500,000 unauthorized noncitizen spouses present in the United States for at least 10 years. To arrive at the estimated number of 50,000 stepchildren, DHS uses fertility data to assume a rate of children per marriage as well as assumptions on the average household composition of U.S. citizen children and unauthorized stepchildren. 186

DHS estimates that this process would result in increased earnings for the population that gains work authorization by removing the “wage penalty” that affects undocumented individuals in the United States. Determining the magnitude of this increase in earnings requires identifying the percentage of the population that applies for parole that is in the labor force, the size of the wage penalty, and the wages of this population in the baseline.

First, DHS assumes the labor participation rate of this population is similar to that of foreign-born workers. Therefore, DHS estimates that approximately 67 percent of this population are currently in the informal labor force, [ 187 ] or 234,500 individuals for scenario 350K, and 502,500 individuals for scenario 750K. DHS assumes these estimates remain constant with this process, i.e., the same percentage in this population would transition to or chose to participate in the formal labor market once authorized under this process.

DHS recognizes that providing employment authorization could induce additional entry into the labor force. For example, Pope (2016) found DACA increased the likelihood of a sample of noncitizens in DACA-eligible age groups working by 3.7-4.8 percentage points and their number of hours worked per week by 0.9-1.7 hours, stemming from an increase in labor force participation and a decrease in unemployment. [ 188 ] Pope also notes that because the non-citizen sample analyzed was comprised of nearly 40% authorized immigrants, the true effect would be approximately 1.6 times larger (5.9-7.7 percentage points). Additional research from Pan (2012)  [ 189 ] —studying the effects of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986—and Orrenius and Zavodny (2015)  [ 190 ] —studying the effects of Temporary Protected Status—provides more granular detail that, following receipt of lawful status, wage increases (discussed below) may be clustered among men and higher employment rates may be clustered among women. However, DHS assumes no increase in employment resulting from this process. As a result, the assumption of a static employment rate could result in an underestimate of the total impact.

Second, there is an extensive literature showing that documented immigrants tend to earn higher wages than those who are undocumented. This difference is known as the wage penalty, [ 191 ] which Borjas and Cassidy (2019) define as the wage difference between observationally-equivalent documented and undocumented immigrants. [ 192 ] In order to quantify the marginal impact of providing employment authorization on earnings for undocumented spouses, DHS consulted several studies. Table 1 shows the studies and the various wage penalty percentages from their findings.

Table 1—Studies on Undocumented Worker Wage Penalties

Wage penalty Author Title and descriptor
4% to 6% Borjas & Cassidy (2019) Wage earned as a documented noncitizen could be, on average, 4 to 6 percent higher than the wage of an individual working as an undocumented noncitizen.
5% Ortega & Hsin (2022) The wage gap between documented and undocumented workers in the period 2010-2012 is 12 percent in occupations with entry barriers (30.1% of undocumented workers) and 2 percent in occupations without entry barriers (69.9% of undocumented workers) when accounting for observable characteristics (similar education and skills) other than occupation.
8% Albert (2021) Using data from 1994-2016, the wage gap—conditional on observable characteristics—between undocumented and document immigrants is 8 percent.
14% to 24% Kossoudji & Cobb-Clark (1998) The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) authorized the granting of lawful status to approximately 1.7 million long‐term unauthorized workers in an effort to bring them “out of the shadows” and improve their labor market opportunities. An analysis of wages using panel data for a sample of men granted lawful status provides evidence that wage determinants are structurally different after legal status was available for them but not for the comparison group as measured during the same time periods. The wage penalty for being unauthorized is estimated to range from 14% to 24%.

Borjas and Cassidy (2019) examine the wage differential between informal and formal work for immigrant populations finding that the wage earned as a documented noncitizen could be, on average, 4 to 6 percent higher than the wage of an individual working as an undocumented noncitizen. [ 193 ]

Ortega and Hsin (2022) find that the wage penalty between documented and undocumented workers in the period 2010-2012 is 12 percent in occupations with entry barriers (30.1% of undocumented workers) and 2 percent in occupations without entry barriers (69.9% of undocumented workers) when accounting for observable ( print page 67481) characteristics (similar education and skills) other than occupation. [ 194 ] In aggregate, the wage penalty is 5%.

Albert (2021) uses data from 1994-2016 to estimate that the wage gap—conditional on observable characteristics—between undocumented and document immigrants is 8 percent. [ 195 ]

Kossoudji & Cobb-Clark (1998) used the change in policy caused by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA)—which authorized the granting of lawful status to approximately 1.7 million long‐term unauthorized workers—to analyze the question of whether and how legal status influences wages. [ 196 ] The policy effectively brought unauthorized immigrants out of the informal labor market and improved their labor market opportunities. Their analysis of wages used panel data for a sample of Mexican and Central American legalized men which provided evidence that wage determinants are structurally different after legal status was extended to this group. The analysis suggests that upon arrival in the U.S. labor market, unauthorized men's wages would have been 14 percent higher if they had been authorized workers; if they had been authorized for all their U.S. working lives, wages in 1992 would be 24 percent higher than actual wages. [ 197 ]

Third, estimating baseline wages cannot be done through use of traditional sources for wages, such as the Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) data, as they do not provide wage estimates for undocumented workers. Consequently, DHS considered several studies to get a range of estimates for earnings of undocumented workers.

A 2022 report by the Center for Migration Studies states that “mean and median annual wages of Hispanic undocumented immigrants who are employed (ages 16 and above) are $28,252 and $25,000, respectively.”  [ 198 ] Given that two-thirds of the estimated undocumented immigrant population is Hispanic, [ 199 ] DHS considers the mean wage of $28,252, which we adjust up using the Employment Cost Index (wages and salaries for private industry workers) to $33,302 (2023 dollars), a reasonable lower estimate for this population's earnings. [ 200 ]

In other regulations, USCIS has used the 10th percentile wage as a proxy for low-paying or entry-level jobs weighted to include benefits for full compensation. [ 201 ] The 10th percentile wage is not specific to undocumented workers; however, it is an example of a lower wage that we have used in other rules. DHS presents wage data from BLS National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates for an unweighted, 10th percentile wage estimate for all occupations to provide another point of comparison. [ 202 ] DHS takes the hourly wage of $13.97 and adjusts it by 1.45 to account for worker benefits to get the average total rate of compensation as $20.26 per hour. [ 203 ] This wage estimate adjusted by 1.45 is appropriate, even if workers are in the informal labor market and do not receive similar benefits. It is appropriate in this analysis because the 10th percentile of full compensation is being estimated based on the 10th percentile wage estimate in order to serve as a plausible benchmark for this population's average earnings.

Assuming approximately 1,784 hours worked per year (34.3 average weekly hours worked as of 2023, multiplied by 52 weeks in a year), [ 204 ] someone earning compensation of $20.26 per hour would earn approximately $36,136 annually. DHS does not rule out the possibility that this population might earn higher wages than shown in this analysis on average, but we believe that these earnings represent a reasonable estimate of the range of incomes that undocumented spouses may be able to earn.

In Table 2, we apply the various wage penalty estimates from Table 1 to the wage estimates for unauthorized workers discussed above to estimate a range of increase in potential income—from 4 percent to 24 percent—as a result of obtaining parole. We also include a simple arithmetic mean of the central estimate of the three articles used to generate these estimates, 9%, to illustrate a potential central estimate of the wage penalty. [ 205 ] The result is a range of estimates for the increased marginal earnings due to work authorization. DHS estimates that receiving employment authorization can increase an immigrant's earnings by about $1,332 to $8,672 per year.

Table 2—Estimated Increased Marginal Earnings per Worker and per Year

[2023 Dollars]

Wage penalty (%) Scenarios for earnings without work authorization $33,302  $36,135  4 $1,332 $1,445 5 1,665 1,807 6 1,998 2,168 8 2,664 2,891 9 2,997 3,252 14 4,662 5,059 24 7,992 8,672 Estimated marginal earning per worker calculated for each scenario by multiplying the wage penalty by the earnings without work authorization, for example: $33,302 × 4% = $1,332.  CMS: . Adjusted 2019 estimate using Employment Cost Index to 2023 dollars.  10% Percentile: . Adjusted to include benefits as reported by BLS, .

DHS assumes that the estimated 234,500 in scenario 350K and 502,500 individuals in scenario 750K are currently in the informal labor force and would receive parole as well as employment authorization—increasing their earnings—as a result of this process. Consistent with standard practice in regulatory impact analyses, as well as current evidence in the labor market, [ 206 ] DHS assumes full employment (that is, that all workers looking for work can find employment in the labor market); accordingly, there is no need to consider the extent to which the labor of affected individuals substitutes for the labor of workers already employed in the economy. For further discussion of the literature on labor substitution and immigration, see “Labor Market Impacts” below.

The increased gross annual earnings from the process are estimated by multiplying the marginal increased earnings per worker due to employment authorization (Table 2) by the estimated labor force participation population numbers under scenario 350K (234,500) and 750K (502,500), respectively. Table 3 presents these estimates.

Table 3—Total Gross Annual Marginal Earnings Gained

[2023 Dollars]

Wage penalty (%) Earnings $33,302 Earnings $36,135
Scenario 350k Scenario 750k Scenario 350k Scenario 750k
4 $312,372,760 $669,370,200 $338,946,300 $726,313,500
5 390,465,950 836,712,750 423,682,875 907,891,875
6 468,559,140 1,004,055,300 508,419,450 1,089,470,250
8 624,745,520 1,338,740,400 677,892,600 1,452,627,000
9 702,838,710 1,506,082,950 762,629,175 1,634,205,375
14 1,093,304,660 2,342,795,700 1,186,312,050 2,542,097,250
24 1,874,236,560 4,016,221,200 2,033,677,800 4,357,881,000
Total annual earnings is calculated by taking the benefits estimated from work authorization in Table 2 for each scenario and multiplying it by the population participating in the labor market. For example: under the 350k scenario where the relevant population are earning, on average, $33,302/year and the wage penalty is 4%, then the benefit of work authorization is $1,332/year; when multiplied by the working population of 234,500, the total annual increase of gaining work authorization for this population is $312 million/year.

Using the 9% wage penalty as the preferred measure of central tendency, it implies increased earnings of $0.70 billion to $1.63 billion in additional earnings per year. To produce a point estimate, DHS takes the average across the two scenarios (using the 9% wage penalty) to arrive at $1.15 billion (rounded), as its preferred estimate of the gross annual increased earnings resulting from this process.

As noted above, DHS estimates an additional $1.15 billion in annual earnings stemming from this process. [ 207 ] As noted in Ortega & Hsin (2022), these short-term increased earnings are explained by group-specific occupational barriers associated with a lack of legal status that cause a misallocation of talent and human capital. The study found that providing legal status to these workers increases the productivity of these workers, and therefore represent net economic gains.

To the extent that the long-term increase in productivity is not fully captured by the increase in earnings—for example, due to employer labor market power—this earnings estimate understates the true economic gains. [ 208 ] And as previously noted, to the extent that this process leads to additional labor force participation—as per Pope (2016), Pan (2012), and Orrenius and Zavodny (2015)—the earnings estimate may also understate the benefit of this process. The total increase in earnings will also be understated if individuals, after gaining lawful status, switch from industries where they currently face lower wage penalties to industries where they would currently face higher wage penalties. In the Ortega and Hsin (2022) estimation of the effects of grants of lawful status on GDP, the direct wage effect is less than a fifth of the total increase in earnings, meaning the true effect of lawful status on earnings may be five times higher than the wage penalty estimate. In addition, Ortega & Hsin note that the long-term productivity gain may be higher because the affected population anticipates labor market barriers in occupations with high skill requirements, leading to under-investment in human capital. To the extent the process leads to closer-to-optimal investment in human capital (in a manner not reflected in the literature used to estimate the wage penalty), the long-term benefits of this process could be higher.

Beyond earnings, the process's immediate benefits include a sense of security and belonging for the affected population, their families, and communities due to the program offering a less burdensome path to adjustment of status. The population that could be eligible for parole in place through this process subsequently could apply for adjustment of status to that of an LPR and, if granted, would gain the freedom and ability to travel internationally.

Noncitizens in the population granted parole in place under this process would benefit from being able to earn lawful wages through participation in the labor market (less the value of their leisure time prior to this process) including expanded employment options not previously available to them. Noncitizens who work would contribute to Federal, State, and local taxes and would benefit from the Social Security system in retirement. Additionally, and generally, some noncitizens could benefit from eventually having access to public assistance programs only available to qualified noncitizens and U.S. citizens if a need for such assistance arises and if they are not already a beneficiary of assistance through their U.S. citizen spouse or parent. [ 209 ]

Research provides a variety of more specific evidence on the benefits of gaining lawful status for populations that have resided in the United States for periods of time without lawful status. For example, Patler and Pirtle (2018) find that reports of current psychological wellness increase for DACA recipients. [ 210 ] Hasager (2024) finds that in conditions where women's resident status is contingent on remaining married to their husbands, grants of legal status (in this case, asylum) to such women decreases their risk of being victims of violence. [ 211 ]

Research also indicates that benefits can spillover to additional individuals. For example, Cascio, Cornell, and Lewis (2024) found that the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 led to higher birthweights among mothers who gained legal status. [ 212 ] This effect arose immediately after applications opened—long before the affected women would have been able to become eligible for Medicaid—indicating that the causality stemmed from factors other than improved access to prenatal care, such as higher family income and reductions in stress that come from gaining legal status. As Cascio, Cornell, and Lewis (2024) note, birthweight is a predictor of later school achievement  [ 213 ] as well as adult educational attainment rates, IQ, health, and labor market outcomes. [ 214 ]

The costs to the population affected by this process will include the various application costs (one person, parent or stepchild, per application). These costs include opportunity costs of time (OCT) of requestors and, if applicable, their representatives for filing Forms I-131F, I-765, I-130, and I-485 (OCT = [value of time based on relevant wages] * [estimated time burden to complete and submit required forms]). Requestors would also be responsible for any travel costs associated with a required biometrics collection appointment at a USCIS ASC.

The process to request parole in place requires an individual to file Form I-131F. Currently, Form I-131F has an estimated time burden of 1.1667 hours with a filing fee of $580. [ 215 ] To request employment authorization, an individual is required to file Form I-765, with a time burden of 4.317 hours, [ 216 ] and a fee of $470 if filing ( print page 67484) online. [ 217 ] Parolees who later choose to apply for adjustment of status must file Form I-485, with a time burden of 6.987 hours  [ 218 ] and submit a fee of $1,440. [ 219 ] In addition to the Form I-485, U.S. citizen spouses or parents must file Form I-130, with a time burden of 1.817 hours  [ 220 ] and a fee of $625 if filed online. [ 221 ] DHS assumes that if given the option, requestors will submit the required forms online. For all forms together, the total time burden is 14.2877 hours.

DHS calculates the costs of applying under this process as follows. Under the two earnings scenarios previously discussed, we convert the annual earnings of $33,302 and $36,135 to per hour earnings, arriving at an estimated $18.67 and $20.26 per hour, respectively. (DHS herein refers to the estimated $18.67 hourly wage as “earnings scenario 1” and the estimated $20.26 hourly wage as “earnings scenario 2.”) We do not include any wage penalty adjustments for application costs purposes as the population is not authorized at the time of application, so their OCT is their estimated informal labor earnings. For applications that are prepared by a representative, DHS estimates an hourly total compensation rate of $123.02 (rounded) using the national average hourly wage for attorneys, adjusted to include benefits, as a reasonable proxy of the opportunity cost of time. [ 222 ] Using the behavior of I-601A filers as a best-approximation for the data, DHS estimates that 81 percent of applicants could seek assistance from a lawyer or an accredited representative and 19 percent would not. [ 223 ]

Biometrics collection occurs at a designated USCIS ASC. While travel times and distances vary, DHS estimates that the average roundtrip distance to an ASC is 50 miles  [ 224 ] and travel takes about 2.5 hours on average to complete a roundtrip. [ 225 ] Furthermore, DHS estimates that a requestor spends an average of 1 hour and 10 minutes (1.17 hours) at an ASC to submit biometrics, [ 226 ] adding up to a total biometrics collection-related time burden of 3.7 hours per requestor. The per requestor biometrics travel costs are approximately $99.77 under earnings scenario 1, and $105.60 under earnings scenario 2. [ 227 ]

The costs are calculated under the two earnings scenarios and the two population scenarios, scenario 350K and scenario 750K. For scenario 350K, we estimate that approximately 66,500 individuals would not use a representative to file the required forms and 283,500 would use a representative. For scenario 750K, we estimate 142,500 individuals would not use a representative and 607,500 would use a representative. Table 4 presents the total cost estimates, including total time burden for filing required forms, per hour OCT estimates for requestors and representatives, population estimates, and biometrics travel costs estimates. To arrive at a point estimate, DHS takes the average across each population scenario and each earning scenario. As a result, the point estimate is approximately $868,583,362 ($0.87 billion).

Table 4—Total Program Application Costs

[2023 Dollars]

Costs Earnings $33,302 ($18.67/hour) Earnings $36,135 ($20.26/hour)
Scenario 350k Scenario 750k Scenario 350k Scenario 750k
Forms $516,039,219 $1,105,798,327 $517,549,929 $1,109,035,563
Biometrics 34,919,115 74,826,675 36,961,470 79,203,150
Total 550,958,334 1,180,625,002 554,511,399 1,188,238,713
For example, forms costs under scenario 350k and $18.67/hour OCT, are calculated as the time burden for all forms, 14.2877 hours, multiplied by the applicant population of 66,500 and their OCT, plus the total forms time burden, 14.2877 hours, multiplied by the population using a representative, 283,500, and their respective OCT. This is (14.2877 * 66,500 * $18.67) + (14.2877 * 283,500 * $123.02) = $17,738,965 + $498,300,254 = $516,039,219 (rounded). Biometrics costs are approximately $99.77 * 350,000 = $34,919,115. Numbers are slightly off due to rounding.

All the fees paid for the required forms for this process represent a transfer to the federal government (see Table 5). As previously noted, an individual must file Form I-131F to request parole in place and pay a (online) filing fee of $580; file Form I-765 to request work authorization and pay a (online) filing fee of $470 and file Form I-485 to apply for adjustment of status and pay a (mail-in) fee of $1,440. Concurrently with Form I-485, U.S. citizen spouses or parents must file Form I-130, with (online) fee of $625. ( print page 67485) If the option exists to submit a form online, DHS assumes that requestors would take advantage of this option to save costs and hence we use the online form submission fees to calculate the fee transfers. Any fee waivers granted for filing forms would reduce transfers from the affected population to USCIS. [ 228 ]

Table 5—Form Fee Transfers to the Federal Government

[2023 Dollars]

Forms Fee Scenario 350K Scenario 750K
I-131F $580 $203,000,000 $435,000,000
I-765 470 164,500,000 352,500,000
I-130 625 218,750,000 468,750,000
I-485 1,440 504,000,000 1,080,000,000
Total 3,115 1,090,250,000 2,336,250,000
The point estimate is the average of the two scenarios, $1,713,250,000.

Increased earnings would result in increased tax revenue to different levels of government. For Federal income taxes, DHS presents an estimate using the simplified assumption that all individuals have marginal earnings taxed at a 12% rate. This is the tax rate that DHS believes would be applicable to such earnings for most individuals. [ 229 ] The gross earnings estimates are multiplied by 12% to yield the results in Table 6.

Table 6—Total Federal Income Tax Transfers at 12% Rate

[2023 Dollars]

Wage penalty (%) Earnings $33,302 Earnings $36,135
Scenario 350K Scenario 750K Scenario 350K Scenario 750K
4 $37,484,731 $80,324,424 $40,673,556 $87,157,620
5 46,855,914 100,405,530 50,841,945 108,947,025
6 56,227,097 120,486,636 61,010,334 130,736,430
8 74,969,462 160,648,848 81,347,112 174,315,240
9 84,340,645 180,729,954 91,515,501 196,104,645
14 131,196,559 281,135,484 142,357,446 305,051,670
24 224,908,387 481,946,544 244,041,336 522,945,720
The point estimate is the average across the 9% row, which is $138,172,686.

Following the same approach to calculating the point estimate as was done previously produces an estimate of approximately $138 million in additional annual Federal income tax revenue as a result of the process.

It is difficult to quantify State tax transfers because taxation rules imposed by different levels of government vary widely. [ 230 ] For that reason, DHS is not able to monetize State income tax revenue increases that will occur as a result of this process, but DHS anticipates that at least some states will see tax revenue increases.

DHS is also able to estimate the increase in transfer payments to Federal employment tax programs, namely Medicare and Social Security, which have a combined payroll tax rate of 7.65 percent (6.2 percent and 1.45 percent, respectively). [ 231 ] With both the employee and employer paying their respective portion of Medicare and Social Security taxes, the total estimated increase in tax transfer payments from employees and employers to Medicare and Social Security is 15.3 percent. DHS takes this rate and multiplies it by the total marginal increase in pre-tax, gross, income earnings from Table 3 to estimate the increase in employment tax transfers resulting from work authorization. Table 7 presents these estimates.

Table 7—Total Federal Payroll Tax Transfers at 15.3% Rate

[2023 Dollars]

Wage penalty (%) Earnings $33,302 Earnings $36,135
Scenario 350K Scenario 750K Scenario 350K Scenario 750K
4 $47,793,032 $102,413,641 $51,858,784 $111,125,966
5 59,741,290 128,017,051 64,823,480 138,907,457
6 71,689,548 153,620,461 77,788,176 166,688,948
( print page 67486)
8 95,586,065 204,827,281 103,717,568 222,251,931
9 107,534,323 230,430,691 116,682,264 250,033,422
14 167,275,613 358,447,742 181,505,744 388,940,879
24 286,758,194 614,481,844 311,152,703 666,755,793
The point estimate is the average across the 9% row, which is $176,170,175.

Following the same approach to calculating the point estimate as was done previously, this produces an estimate of approximately $176 million in additional annual Federal payroll tax revenue as a result of the process, half from employers and half from the employed population.

Additionally, DHS has considered the impact of the process on eligibility for Federal public benefits. Only noncitizens who are considered “qualified aliens” may access certain Federal public benefits programs. “Qualified aliens” include noncitizens paroled under INA section 212(d)(5) for a period of at least one year. However, nearly all benefits programs are available only to noncitizens who have been in “qualified” status for at least five years. For example, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) generally requires noncitizens to have been in “qualified” status for five years before they can receive benefits. Similarly, Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) generally require five years in “qualified” status for noncitizens who entered the United States after August 22, 1996. Given that noncitizens eligible for this process are estimated on average to have lived in the United States for 23 years, DHS anticipates that the majority of those who may be considered for parole in place will have entered after this date. Accordingly, most noncitizens who receive parole pursuant to this process will not be eligible to access public Federal benefits for at least five years. Beyond five years, DHS is not able to monetize the degree of additional outlays from Federal public benefit programs.

The potential fiscal impacts of this process on State and local governments would vary based on a range of factors, such as the social and economic characteristics of the population within a particular jurisdiction at a particular time (or over a particular period), including a parolee's age, educational attainment, income, and level of work-related skill as well as the number of dependents in their families. Fiscal effects would also vary significantly depending on local rules governing eligibility for public benefits. Under this process, additional earnings have the effect of increasing tax revenues. With regard to drawing on public assistance programs, the effects would be uncertain and depend on a range of factors, including personal circumstances and any State and local policies' eligibility criteria.

Compared to the baseline, there are multiple reasons to believe that any burden on State and local fiscal resources caused by the process are unlikely to be significant, and further that the rule may have a positive net effect on their fiscal resources. In the baseline, the vast majority of this population would remain in the country, but without the additional measure of security, employment authorization, and lawful presence promoted by this process. In addition, because State and local governments are already expending resources on public goods for the population gaining lawful status due to this process—for example, public K-12 education—the marginal effect of gaining lawful status on State and local public expenditures is likely to be small. By contrast, the increased earnings stemming from lawful status clearly increase tax revenues relative to baseline (State and local income tax revenues; higher earnings leading to higher spending, and therefore higher sales tax revenues; higher earnings leading to higher spending on property, and therefore higher property tax revenues), albeit one that DHS cannot fully monetize.

In the long term, DHS expects State and local governments to continue to choose how to finance public goods, set tax structures and rates, allocate public resources, and set eligibilities for various public benefit programs, and to adjust these approaches based on the evolving conditions of their respective populations. DHS acknowledges that though this process may result in some indirect fiscal effects on State and local governments, such effects would be extremely challenging to quantify fully and would vary based on a range of factors, including policy choices made by such governments, and may very well be offset by increases in tax revenue and economic productivity that are equally challenging to quantify.

The labor market impacts of increased immigration are largely not relevant to the analysis of this process because it applies to individuals who have resided in the United States for more than 10 years. Such individuals would likely continue to reside in the United States with or without this process. Nevertheless, for completeness and to the extent relevant, DHS has included discussion of the effects of increased immigration on native-born workers' employment and earnings.

Although the estimated population is small relative to the total U.S. and individual State labor forces, DHS recognizes that, in general, any potential increase in worker supply may affect wages and, in turn, the welfare of other workers and employers. However, the effects are not obvious or straightforward as changes in wages depend on many factors and various market forces, such as the type of occupation and industry, geographic market locations, employer preferences, worker preferences, worker skills, experience, and education levels, and overall economic conditions. For example, in a tight labor market, certain industries' labor demand might outpace labor supply, such as in healthcare, food services, and software development sectors. BLS projects that home health and personal care aide occupations will grow by about 34 percent over the next 10 years, cooks in restaurants by about 23 percent, and software development occupations by about 22 percent. [ 232 ] In ( print page 67487) growing industries or sectors such as these, holding everything else constant, any increases in the labor supply might not be enough to temporarily satisfy labor demand. As a result, employers might offer higher wages to attract workers. The opposite could happen in a slack labor market for industries or sectors where labor supply is greater than labor demand due to these industries not growing and/or too many workers entering theses industry relative to labor demand.

DHS also notes the possibility of positive dynamic effects from employing the population relevant to this process. Hiring persons from this population might permit businesses to grow and thus have positive, rather than negative, effects on other workers, including U.S. citizens. DHS cannot predict the degree to which this population of interest is substituted for other workers in the U.S. economy since this depends on factors such as industry characteristics as described above as well as on the hiring practices and preferences of employers, which depend on many factors, such as worker skill levels, experience levels, education levels, training needs, and labor market regulations, among others.

Assuming this population of interest would remain in the United States even without this process, there is the possibility that unauthorized noncitizens looking for work without authorization may be exploited, and employers may pay substandard wages, which in turn could potentially depress wages for some native and authorized noncitizen workers. By reducing this possibility, this process may help to protect U.S. workers and employers against the possible effects of unauthorized labor.

Generally, the benefits of facilitating access to employment authorization for this population outweigh potential costs to American workers or to the U.S. economy. A 2017 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NAS) publication concludes that providing legal status to unauthorized migrants does not harm U.S.-born and other immigrant workers in the longer term, as overall the impact of immigration on wages is very small. [ 233 ]

Research has found little evidence that immigration significantly affects the overall employment rate of native-born workers. The 2017 NAS publication synthesizes the then-current peer-reviewed literature on the effects of immigration along with empirical findings from various publications. [ 234 ] With respect to wages, in particular, the 2017 NAS Report described recent research showing that, when measured over a period of more than 10 years, the impact of immigration on the wages of natives overall is very small. [ 235 ] However, the NAS Report described research finding that immigration reduces the number of hours worked by native teens (but not their employment rate). Moreover, as with wage impacts, there is some evidence that recent immigrants reduce the employment rate of prior immigrants, suggesting a higher degree of substitutability between new and prior immigrants than between new immigrants and natives. [ 236 ]

Further, the characteristics of local economies matter with respect to wage and employment effects. For instance, the impacts to local labor markets can vary based on whether such market economies are experiencing growth, stagnation, or decline. On average, immigrants tend to locate to areas with relatively high labor demand or low unemployment levels where worker competition for available jobs is low. [ 237 ] This dissipates short-term localized labor supply shock effects and increases the efficiency of labor markets. [ 238 ]

The 2017 NAS Report also discusses the economic impacts of immigration and considers effects beyond labor market impacts. Similar to citizens, immigrants also pay taxes; stimulate the economy by consuming goods, services, and entertainment; engage in the real estate market; and take part in domestic tourism. Such activities contribute to further growth of the economy and create additional jobs and opportunities for both citizen and noncitizen populations. [ 239 ]

More recent evidence provides a stronger evidentiary basis that immigration increases the employment rate of native-born workers. Empirical evidence from Peri, Rury, and Wiltshire (2024) of the effect of Puerto Ricans who were displaced to Orlando following Hurricane Maria found “evidence that the migration event induced by Hurricane Maria caused employment growth in Orlando, in aggregate and also within sectors most likely to be affected by labor supply and demand shocks.”  [ 240 ] Peri, Rury, and Wiltshire (2024) found that this held for non-Hispanic workers and less-educated workers as well. Clemens and Hunt (2019) as well as Peri and Yasenov (2019) found evidence that previous approaches to examining the labor market effects of the Mariel Boatlift were methodologically flawed, concluding that—when properly controlled—no significant difference in labor market outcomes could be discerned. [ 241 ]

More comprehensively, Caiumi and Peri (2024) extends and improves upon a series of previous influential articles in the field that estimated how the supply of immigrant workers affected native wages in the U.S. by extending the years studies (through 2022) and using improved identification methods. [ 242 ] They find that the effect of immigration at every skill level “on natives' employment-population ratio is positive, significant and between 0.05% and 0.095%, in response to a 1% increase in immigrant employment.” On the wage side, Caiumi and Peri (2024) estimate that the “average increase of native wage by 0.01% to 0.02% for each 1% growth of immigrant share can be fully due to shifts of natives into better-paying types of occupations in response to immigration.” These estimates imply that the 2000 to 2019 immigrant flows increased the wages of native workers with a high school degree or less by 1.7% to 2.6%, had no significant wage effect on native workers with a college degree, and in aggregate increased wages for all workers by an average of 0.5% to 0.8%; regarding employment in this period, this implies that these immigrant flows increased natives' employment rate by 2.4%. Similar, but smaller, estimates are generated for the 2019-2022 period.

Accounting Statement

Category Primary estimate Dollar year Discount rate Time horizon
Annualized monetized benefits $1.15 billion 2023 N/A Annual.
Annualized quantified, but non-monetized benefits N/A N/A N/A N/A.
Unquantified benefits • Increased sense of security and belonging, and psychological wellness • Freedom and ability to travel internationally and access travel documents • Access to a college education • Reduced risk of being subject to violence N/A N/A N/A.
• Higher birth weights for children of population, and consequent lifetime benefits to those children • Preserve and more effectively use limited resources of the Federal government.
Total monetized costs $0.87 billion 2023 N/A Year 1.
Total quantified, but non-monetized costs N/A
Unquantified costs
Year 1 monetized Federal budgetary transfers $2.03 billion 2023 N/A Year 1.
Year 2+ annualized monetized Federal budgetary transfers $0.31 billion 2023 N/A Annual.
From fees (Year 1) and taxes from applicants and employers to the Federal government (annual).
Year 1 monetized net benefits $0.28 billion 2023 N/A Year 1.
Year 2+ annualized monetized net benefits $1.15 billion 2023 N/A Annualized.

This Federal Register notice is exempt from notice-and-comment rulemaking requirements for the following reasons.

First, DHS is merely adopting a general statement of policy, [ 243 ] i.e., a “statement issued by an agency to advise the public prospectively of the manner in which the agency proposes to exercise a discretionary power.”  [ 244 ] As INA section 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) , provides, parole decisions are made by the Secretary of Homeland Security “in his discretion” and this process leaves USCIS adjudicators the discretion to approve or deny requests consistent with the guidance described in section V.C. of this Notice as they perform their case-by-case review. [ 245 ] DHS has generally exercised its parole authority without rulemaking on the substance of parole processes through the issuance of such general statements of agency policy. [ 246 ] And it is well established that “the mere fact that an agency action,” including a policy statement, “may have a substantial impact does not transform it into a legislative rule.”  [ 247 ]

Second, even if this process were considered to be a legislative rule that would normally be subject to requirements for notice-and-comment rulemaking and a delayed effective date, the process is exempt from such requirements because it involves a foreign affairs function of the United ( print page 67489) States. [ 248 ] Courts have held that this exemption applies when the rule in question “ `is clearly and directly involved' in `a foreign affairs function.' ”  [ 249 ] In addition, although the text of the Administrative Procedure Act does not require an agency invoking this exemption to show that such procedures may result in “definitely undesirable international consequences,” some courts have required such a showing. [ 250 ]

This process is exempt under both standards. Specifically, as discussed above, this process is one part of the United States' ongoing efforts to engage hemispheric partners to increase their efforts to collaboratively manage irregular migration. Regularizing certain noncitizens who have lived in and established deep ties to the United States is a key request of our partner countries, and establishment of this proposed process will help ensure our partners' continued collaboration to address irregular migration in the Western Hemisphere and improve economic stability and security in countries that are common sources of irregular migration to the United States. [ 251 ]

Delaying issuance and implementation of this process to undertake rulemaking would complicate ongoing conversations with key foreign partners about migration management on a range of priorities. These priorities include collaborating with partner countries on initiatives aimed at disrupting human smuggling, trafficking, and transnational criminal networks; increasing migration controls on bus and train routes;  [ 252 ] imposing additional visa requirements to prevent individuals from exploiting legitimate travel regimes to facilitate their irregular journey to the United States;  [ 253 ] and expanding access to lawful pathways.

The delay associated with implementing this process through notice-and-comment rulemaking would adversely affect the United States' ability to negotiate with our international partners, including Mexico and Colombia, for additional enforcement measures and increased cooperation with removals. In the context of ongoing discussions on migration management, representatives of Mexico have specifically requested that the U.S. government regularize Mexican nationals who have been long-term residents of the United States. [ 254 ] Similarly, the Government of Colombia delivered a diplomatic note in April 2024 that requested Deferred Enforced Departure for certain nationals of Colombia residing in the United States, which would enable those individuals to remain lawfully in the United States and access work authorization. The Government of Colombia made similar requests in November 2022 through its ambassador to the United States  [ 255 ] and again in May 2023 during high-level dialogues to stem the flows of irregular migration through the Darién and during negotiations to establish and extend Safe Mobility Offices  [ 256 ] beyond the initial phase.

The invocation of the foreign affairs exemption here is also consistent with DHS precedent. For example, in 2017, DHS published a notice eliminating an exception to expedited removal for certain Cuban nationals, which explained that the change in policy was consistent with the foreign affairs exemption because the change was central to ongoing negotiations between the two countries. [ 257 ] DHS similarly invoked the foreign affairs exemption more recently in connection with the parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans  [ 258 ] and family reunification parole processes for certain nationals of Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, announced in 2023. [ 259 ]

Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA), 44 U.S.C. chapter 35 , all Departments are required to submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), for review and approval, any new reporting requirements they impose. The process announced by this notice requires a new collection of information on Form I-131F, Application for Parole in Place for Certain Noncitizen Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens (OMB control number 1615-NEW), which will be used for the parole in place process for certain noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens. The Form I-131F will be available for online filing only to support more efficient adjudications and will charge a filing fee of $580 per requestor. The Form I-131F will require the requestor to submit biographic data, processing information, and other supporting documentation in order to evaluate the criteria outlined in this notice, including to: establish the requestor's status as either the spouse or stepchild of a U.S. citizen; rigorously screen the applicant for public safety and national security threats; identify whether the requestor has previously filed Form I-601A with USCIS; instruct the requestor on next steps for submitting required biometrics; and determine whether the requestor meets other criteria related to presence without admission or parole and physical presence for the requisite period, among other questions.

USCIS has submitted, and OMB has approved, the request for emergency authorization of the new Form I-131F (under 5 CFR 1320.13 ) for a period of 6 months. Within 60 days of publication of this notice at the Federal Register , USCIS will begin normal clearance procedures under the PRA to obtain ( print page 67490) three-year approval for this collection. [ 260 ]

Alejandro N. Mayorkas,

Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

1.  Public Law 89-236 (1965).

2.  For example, in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 President's Budget, USCIS requested $865 million in appropriated funding, but Congress only provided $281 million. See Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Budget Overview, Fiscal Year 2024 Congressional Justification, available at https://www.dhs.gov/​sites/​/default/​files/​/2023-03/​U.S.%20CITIZENSHIP/​%20AND%20IMMIGRATION%20SERVICES_​Remediated.pdf (last visited July 16, 2024); Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024, Public Law 118-47 , div. C (2024); Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Budget Overview, Fiscal Year 2025 Congressional Justification, available at https://www.dhs.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​2024-04/​2024_​0325_​us_​citizenship_​and_​immigration_​services.pdf (last visited July 16, 2024). The February 2024 Bipartisan Border Agreement would have provided $20 billion in funding for border management, including $4 billion to USCIS.

3.  U.S. Dep't of Homeland Security, Office of Homeland Security Statistics (OHSS) analysis of OHSS Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: Jan. 2018-Jan. 2022 (“OHSS Analysis”), tbl. 3.

4.   Id. tbls. 4, 5. Estimated data shows that the median amount of time the entire population of noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens has been in the United States is 20 years; the median time the PIP-eligible population of noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens (where the noncitizen spouses have been in the United States for at least 10 years) has been in the United States is 23 years.

5.  This is filed on Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative.

6.  Adjustment of status is the process by which certain noncitizens may seek LPR status while remaining in the United States, as opposed to consular processing, the process by which certain noncitizens seek an immigrant visa at a United States embassy or consulate abroad and then are admitted to the United States as an LPR at a port of entry. See INA sec. 245(a), 8 U.S.C. 1255(a) ; cf. INA secs. 221-222, 8 U.S.C. 1201-1202 (immigrant visa applications).

7.  INA sec. 245(a), 8 U.S.C 1255(a) .

8.  OHSS Analysis, supra note 3, tbl. 3.

9.  INA sec. 245(a), 8 U.S.C. 1255(a) .

10.  For most of these noncitizens, their departure to pursue consular processing and seeking admission through the application of an immigrant visa makes them inadmissible, and seeking of admission through the application for an immigrant visa within three years from their departure (if they accrued more than 180 days but less than one year of unlawful presence in the United States during a single stay), or within ten years from their departure or removal (of departure or removal (if they accrued one year or more of unlawful presence in the United States during a single stay)), will make them inadmissible under INA section 212(a)(9)(B)(i), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B)(i) . See, e.g., Matter of Duarte-Gonzalez, 28 I. & N. Dec. 688, 689-90 (BIA 2023); Matter of Rodarte-Roman, 23 I. & N. Dec. 905, 908-10 (BIA 2006) (holding that the 3-year and 10-year unlawful presence bars are not triggered unless and until the noncitizen departs from the United States). This ground of inadmissibility may be waived, but approval of such a waiver is discretionary and requires applicants to “establish [ ] . . . that the refusal of [the applicant's] admission . . . would result in extreme hardship to the citizen or [LPR] spouse or parent” of the applicant. INA sec. 212(a)(9)(B)(v), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B)(v) .

11.  As discussed in greater detail in this notice, the provisional waiver process through the Form I-601A, Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver, permits certain noncitizens to apply for a provisional waiver of the unlawful presence grounds of inadmissibility under INA section 212(a)(9)(B)(v), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B)(v) , prior to their departure from the United States. While an important mechanism, the Form I-601A provisional waiver process has become significantly backlogged in recent years, still requires the noncitizen to depart and remain separated from their U.S. citizen relatives during consular processing, and does not provide a guarantee that an immigrant visa will ultimately be granted. See 8 CFR 212.7(e) (describing the provisional unlawful presence waiver process).

12.  Exec. Order No. 14012, Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration System and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans, 86 FR 8277 (Feb. 5, 2021).

13.   See USCIS, Completing an Unprecedented 10 Million Immigration Cases in Fiscal Year 2023, USCIS Reduced Its Backlog for the First Time in Over a Decade (Feb. 9, 2024), https://www.uscis.gov/​EOY2023 ; USCIS Fiscal Year 2022 Progress Report (Dec. 2022), www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​reports/​OPA_​ProgressReport.pdf .

14.  The White House, FACT SHEET: President Biden Announces New Actions to Keep Families Together, June 18, 2024, available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/​briefing-room/​statements-releases/​2024/​06/​18/​fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-new-actions-to-keep-families-together/​ .

15.  INA sec. 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) (“The [Secretary] may . . . in his discretion parole into the United States temporarily under such conditions as he may prescribe only on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit any alien applying for admission to the United States . . .”).

16.   See Section II.B. of this notice for additional information on parole in relation to adjustment of status.

17.   See INA sec. 245(a), (c), 8 U.S.C. 1255(a) , (c); 8 CFR part 245 .

18.  And in the case of certain widows or widowers, where eligible as described in this notice, Form I-360, Petition for Amerasian, Widow(er), or Special Immigrant.

19.  Noncitizens who have been convicted of serious offenses, such as felonies, will be ineligible for this process. See Section V.A. of this notice for additional detail on disqualifying criminal history.

20.   See INA sec. 101(b)(1), 8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(1) .

21.   See INA sec. 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) ; see also INA sec. 235(a)(1), 8 U.S.C. 1225(a)(1) (“An alien present in the United States who has not been admitted or who arrives in the United States (whether or not at a designated port of arrival and including an alien who is brought to the United States after having been interdicted in international or United States waters) shall be deemed for purposes of this chapter an applicant for admission.”).

22.  Noncitizens who are immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen and were admitted to the United States on a valid nonimmigrant visa but have remained in the United States beyond the period of stay authorized will generally meet the “inspected and admitted or paroled” requirement for adjustment of status without the need for parole in place. See INA sec. 245(a), 8 U.S.C. 1255(a) ; INA sec. 245(c)(2), 8 U.S.C. 1255(c)(2) . Similarly, noncitizens who were paroled into the United States on or after their last arrival would also meet this requirement.

23.  OHSS Analysis, supra note 3, tbl. 3.

24.   See, e.g., Memorandum from Paul W. Virtue, INS General Counsel, to INS officials, Authority to Parole Applicants for Admission Who Are Not Also Arriving Aliens, Legal Op. No. 98-10, 1998 WL 1806685 (Aug. 21, 1998), superseded in part on other grounds by Memorandum from Gus P. Coldebella, DHS General Counsel, to DHS officials, Clarification of the Relation Between Release under Section 236 and Parole under Section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (Sept. 28, 2007) (“Coldebella Memo”), available at https://www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​legal-docs/​Coldebella_​Memo.pdf ; see also, e.g., Ortega-Cervantes v. Gonzales, 501 F.3d 1111, 1118 (9th Cir. 2007) (discussing 1998 INS General Counsel Memo and 1999 INS Cuban parole policy, and stating that “[w]e see nothing [in the INA] that would preclude the government from paroling . . . into the United States under § 1182(d)(5)(A)” noncitizens “who are currently present in the United States but who were not inspected upon arrival at a port of entry” and that “[t]he [INS] General Counsel's memorandum is consistent with our conclusion . . . that there is no per se bar on paroling unlawful entrants into the United States pursuant to § 1182(d)(5)(A)”).

25.   Immigration Needs of America's Fighting Men and Women, Hearing Before the Subcomm. on Immigr., Citizenship, Refugees, Border Sec., & Int'l L. of the Comm. on the Judiciary, H.R., 110th Cong. 15 (2008) (testimony of Margaret Stock, Attorney and Lieutenant Colonel, Military Police Corps, United States Army Reserve).

26.  While the USCIS policy memorandum articulating the use of parole in place for military family members was issued in 2013, as a matter of practice, USCIS has been issuing parole in place for members of this population since 2010. Making this process available only to certain spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens is consistent with past sparing uses of parole in place. See id. DHS continues to view use of parole in place as consistent with the best reading of the statute, as described in section II in this notice. For reasons discussed throughout this notice, making it available to this population also is a better practice than retaining the status quo. See USCIS Policy Memorandum, PM-602-0091, Parole of Spouses, Children and Parents of Active Duty Members of the U.S. Armed Forces, the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve, and Former Members of the U.S. Armed Forces or Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve and the Effect of Parole on Inadmissibility under Immigration and Nationality Act sec. 212(a)(6)(A)(i) (Nov. 15, 2013) (“USCIS Military Parole in Place Memorandum”), available at https://www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​memos/​2013-1115_​Parole_​in_​Place_​Memo_​.pdf , superseded in part by USCIS Policy Memorandum, PM-602-1104, Discretionary Options for Designated Spouses, Parents, and Sons and Daughters of Certain Military Personnel, Veterans, and Enlistees (Nov. 23, 2016), available at https://www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​memos/​PIP-DA_​Military_​Final_​112316.pdf .

27.   See National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020, Public Law 116-92 , sec. 1758 (2019) ( 8 U.S.C. 1182 note ) (NDAA 2020) (“the importance of the parole in place authority of the Secretary of Homeland Security is reaffirmed”).

28.   See, e.g., Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 1990, Public Law 101-167, sec. 599E ( 8 U.S.C. 1255 note ) (authorizing granting permanent residence to parolees from the Soviet Union, Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia); Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996, Public Law 104-208 , div. C, sec. 646 ( 8 U.S.C. 1255 note ) (providing for adjustment of status for noncitizens from Poland and Hungary who had been denied refugee status but who had been “inspected and granted parole into the United States”); NDAA 2020, sec. 1758, supra note 27 (expressing congressional support for an ongoing parole program for relatives of U.S. military members and considering in each case-by-case determination whether parole would advance family unity that would constitute a significant public benefit); Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act of 2021, Public Law 117-43 , sec. 2502 ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 note ) (providing refugee benefits to Afghans paroled under INA section 1182(d)(5) and funds to support those benefits); Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2022, Public Law 117-128 , sec. 401 ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 note ) (providing benefits to Ukrainians paroled under INA sec. 212(d)(5), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5) and funds to support those benefits).

29.   See Economic Analysis section in this notice.

30.   See Delegation to the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (Delegation No. 0150.1, Sec. II(O)) (June 5, 2003) (vesting parole authority in USCIS through its Director and subordinate officers).

31.   See INA sec. 101(a)(13)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(13)(A) ,) (defining the terms “admission” and “admitted” as “the lawful entry of the alien into the United States after inspection and authorization by an immigration officer”); INA sec. 212(d)(5), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5) ; see also USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 7, Adjustment of Status, Part B, 245(a) Adjustment, Chapter 2, Eligibility Requirements, Section 3, Parole [7 USCIS PM B.2 (A)(3)] (“Parole in Place: Parole of Certain Noncitizens Present Without Admission or Parole”), available at https://www.uscis.gov/​policy-manual/​volume-7-part-b-chapter-2 (last updated July 16, 2024).

32.   See INA sec. 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) ; INA sec. 235(a)(1), 8 U.S.C. 1225(a)(1) (“An alien present in the United States who has not been admitted or who arrives in the United States (whether or not at a designated port of arrival and including an alien who is brought to the United States after having been interdicted in international or United States waters) shall be deemed for purposes of [the INA] an applicant for admission. A noncitizen placed in removal proceedings pursuant to INA sec. 240, 8 U.S.C. 1229a , may also be an applicant for admission, and such an individual could be considered for this parole in place process even if released from custody under INA sec. 236(a), 8 U.S.C. 1226(a) , as long as they have not been admitted. See INA sec. 240(a)(2), 8 U.S.C. 1229a(a)(2) (“An alien placed in proceedings under this section may be charged with any applicable ground of inadmissibility under section 1182(a) of this title. . .”).

33.   See supra note 24 and Section II.C of this notice.

34.  INA sec. 101(a)(13)(B), 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(13)(B) ; INA sec. 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) .

35.  INA sec. 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) .

36.   8 CFR 212.5(e) (providing that a noncitizen's parole may terminate automatically or upon written notice). In addition, neither the denial of a parole in place request nor a parole termination determination is subject to judicial review. See INA sec. 242(a)(2)(B)(ii), 8 U.S.C. 1252(a)(2)(B)(ii) ; Bolante v. Keisler, 506 F.3d 618, 621 (7th Cir. 2007); Samirah v. O'Connell, 335 F.3d 545, 549 (7th Cir. 2003); see also Vazquez Romero v. Garland, 999 F.3d 656, 665 (9th Cir. 2021) (“We have previously concluded that the jurisdiction-stripping provision of [8 U.S.C.] 1252(a)(2)(B)(ii) applies to discretionary parole decisions under sec. 1182(d)(5).” (citing Hassan v. Chertoff, 593 F.3d 785, 790 (9th Cir. 2010))).

37.   8 CFR 274a.12(c)(11) .

38.  INA sec. 212(a)(9)(B)(ii), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B)(ii) (“[A]n alien is deemed to be unlawfully present in the United States if the alien is present in the United States after the expiration of the period of stay authorized by the Attorney General or is present in the United States without being admitted or paroled.”).

39.   See infra notes 65-72 and Section II.D. of this notice for a discussion of Existing Family Unity Parole Policies; see also, e.g., Reno v. Flores, 507 U.S. 292, 313-14 (1993) (holding that a statute requiring “individualized determination[s]” does not prevent immigration authorities from using “reasonable presumptions and generic rules”); Fook Hong Mak v. INS, 435 F.2d 728, 730 (2d Cir. 1970) (upholding INS's authority to “determine[ ] certain conduct to be so inimical to the statutory scheme that all persons who have engaged in it shall be ineligible for favorable consideration” and observing that there is no legal principle forbidding an agency that is “vested with discretionary power” from determining that it will not use that power “in favor of a particular class on a case-by-case basis”); cf. INA sec. 212(d)(5)(B), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(B) (providing that DHS may parole a noncitizen determined to be a refugee only if DHS “determines that compelling reasons in the public interest with respect to that particular alien require that the alien be paroled into the United States rather than be admitted as a refugee” (emphasis added)).

40.   See supra note 28.

41.  INA sec. 245(a); 8 U.S.C. 1255(a) . To apply for adjustment of status under INA sec. 245(a), the noncitizen must also have an immigrant visa “immediately available to him” or her at the time of filing. INA sec. 245(a)(3), 8 U.S.C. 1255(a)(3) . Because there is no numerical limit on immigrant visas for spouses of U.S. citizens, see INA sec. 201(b)(2)(A)(i), 8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)(i) , immigrant visas are immediately available to them upon approval of a Form I-130. See 8 CFR 245.2(a)(2)(i)(B) . Cuban nationals who are paroled also may be eligible for adjustment of status under the Cuban Adjustment Act, Public Law 89-732 (1966) ( 8 U.S.C. 1255 note ), without regard to the availability of an immigrant visa.

42.  DHS may also release a noncitizen present without admission or parole from custody on “conditional parole,” also known as a release on one's own recognizance, under INA sec. 236(a)(2)(B), 8 U.S.C. 1226(a)(2)(B) , pending INA sec. 240, 8 U.S.C. 1229a , removal proceedings. Conditional parole under INA sec. 236(a)(2)(B), however, does not equate to parole under INA sec. 212(d)(5), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5) , and therefore does not constitute parole for purposes of adjustment of status under INA sec. 245, 8 U.S.C. 1255 , or the Cuban Adjustment Act. See Matter of Cabrera-Fernandez, 28 I&N Dec. 747, 748-50 (BIA 2023) (reaffirming Matter of Castillo-Padilla, 25 I&N Dec. 257 (BIA 2010), aff'd, 417 F. App'x 888 (11th Cir. 2011)); Coldebella Memo, supra note 24 (clarifying that “conditional parole” under section INA 236(a)(2)(B), 8 U.S.C. 1226(a)(2)(B) , does not constitute parole under INA section 212(d)(5), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5) ). However, such noncitizens may remain eligible to request a grant of parole in place if they have not otherwise been “admitted” to the United States and meet the other requirements.

43.   See INA sec. 245, 8 U.S.C. 1255 (requirements for adjustment of status); INA sec. 212(a), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a) (grounds of inadmissibility). While noncitizens generally must also have “maintain[ed] continuously a lawful status since entry into the United States” to qualify for adjustment of status under INA sec. 245(a), 8 U.S.C. 1255(a) , this restriction does not apply to immediate relatives, which includes spouses and children (including stepchildren) of U.S. citizens. See INA sec. 245(c), 8 U.S.C. 1255(c) (bars to adjustment of status eligibility); INA sec. 201(b)(2)(A)(i), 8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)(i) (defining “immediate relatives”); INA sec. 101(b)(1), 8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(1) (defining “child”). See also discussion of unlawful presence supra note 10.

44.  INA sec. 245(a), 8 U.S.C. 1255(a) .

45.   Duarte v. Mayorkas, 27 F.4th 1044, 1058 (5th Cir. 2022); see INA sec. 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) (providing that parole shall not be regarded as admission); INA sec. 101(a)(13)(B), 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(13)(B) (same); see also, e.g., Sale v. Haitian Ctrs. Council, Inc., 509 U.S. 155, 175 (1993) (observing that “[u]nder the INA, both then and now, those seeking `admission” and trying to avoid `exclusion' were already within our territory (or at its border)” could be paroled under INA section 212(d)(5), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5) , “but the law treat[s] them as though they had never entered the United States at all”); Leng May Ma v. Barber, 357 U.S. 185, 189 (1958) (noting the legal fiction that a parolee is considered to be constructively remaining at the border applying for admission); Cruz-Miguel v. Holder, 650 F.3d 189, 197 n.12 (2d Cir. 2011) (“Although [noncitizens] paroled under 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) physically enter the United States temporarily, they are nevertheless deemed to remain constructively detained at the border.”).

46.  The phrase “parole into the United States” in INA section 212(d)(5)(A) allows for the temporary release or continued presence of “any” applicant for admission—even though already present in the United States—within U.S. territory pending accomplishment of the purpose of the parole. INA sec. 212(d)(5), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5) . At the same time, as described in settled case law, the parolee is deemed to be constructively at the border, and courts have consistently understood “parole into the United States” as being applicable to applicants for admission who are already present in U.S. territory ( e.g., arriving noncitizens who were subject to detention pending exclusion proceedings), even if, under pre-IIRIRA law, they were not considered to have effected an “entry,” as that term was formerly defined, see 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(13) (1994), into the United States for immigration purposes). See, e.g., Sale, 509 U.S. at 175; Leng May Ma, 357 U.S. at 189; see also Abramski v. United States, 573 U.S. 169, 179 (2014) (“[W]e must (as usual) interpret the relevant words in a statute not in a vacuum, but with reference to the statutory context, structure, history and purpose.”) (quotation marks omitted); FDA v. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., 529 U.S. 120, 133 (2000) (underscoring the “fundamental canon of statutory construction that the words of a statute must be read in their context and with a view to their place in the overall statutory scheme”); cf. Bruesewitz v. Wyeth LLC, 562 U.S. 223, 243 (2011) (emphasizing the force of “consistent judicial gloss” assigned to a statutory “term or concept”).

47.  INA sec. 235(a)(1), 8 U.S.C. 1225(a)(1) .

48.  INA sec. 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) ; see Cruz-Miguel, 650 F.3d at 197-98 & n.12.

49.   Cruz-Miguel, 650 F.3d at 198; see also Ortega-Cervantes, 501 F.3d at 1116 (same).

50.  INA sec. 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) . For purposes of the parole statute, “applying for admission” is synonymous with “applicant for admission.” See id. (providing that when DHS determines the purposes of parole of the noncitizen “have been served,” the noncitizen's “case shall continue to be dealt with in the same manner as that of any other applicant for admission to the United States”) (emphasis added); 8 CFR 212.5 (1959) (referring to parole at ports of entry under INA sec. 212(d)(5) of “any . . . applicant for admission” at the INS district director's discretion).

51.   Id.; see Ortega-Cervantes, 501 F.3d at 1116.

52.  Memorandum from Paul W. Virtue, INS General Counsel, to INS officials, Authority to Parole Applicants for Admission Who Are Not Also Arriving Aliens, Legal Op. No. 98-10, 1998 WL 1806685 (Aug. 21, 1998). Based on that 1998 INS legal opinion, the INS Commissioner issued a policy statement authorizing the parole of certain Cuban nationals who entered the United States without inspection, taking into consideration the fact that parole could allow an application for adjustment of status under the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 after one year. See Memorandum from Doris Meissner, INS Commissioner, to INS officials, Eligibility for Permanent Residence Under the Cuban Adjustment Act Despite Having Arrived at a Place Other than a Designated Port-of-Entry (Apr. 19, 1999), reprinted in 76 Interpreter Releases 676, 684, App. 1 (May 3, 1999).

53.  Memorandum from Gus P. Coldebella, DHS General Counsel, to DHS officials, Clarification of the Relation Between Release under Section 236 and Parole under Section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (Sept. 28, 2007) (“Coldebella Memo”), available at https://www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​legal-docs/​Coldebella_​Memo.pdf .

54.   Notice Designating Aliens Subject to Expedited Removal Under Section 235(b)(1)(A)(iii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, 67 FR 68924 , 68925 (Nov. 13, 2002). The Department, likewise, for the past two decades, has routinely “parole[d] into the United States” under INA section 212(d)(5)(A) certain applicants for admission who are encountered within 14 days and 100 miles of the U.S. land border after having crossed into the country without inspection and being placed in expedited removal proceedings. See Designating Aliens for Expedited Removal, 69 FR 48877 , 48879 (Aug. 11, 2004).

55.  USCIS Military Parole in Place Memorandum, supra note 26.

56.  Memorandum from Jeh Johnson, Secretary, U.S. Dep't of Homeland Security, Families of U.S. Armed Forces Members and Enlistees (Nov. 20, 2014) (directing USCIS to issue expanded policies on the use of both parole in place and deferred action for certain spouses, children, and parents of individuals seeking to enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces as well as those currently serving), available at https://www.dhs.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​publications/​14_​1120_​memo_​parole_​in_​place.pdf .

57.   See NDAA 2020 sec. 1758(a) (referring to “parole in place under section 212(d)(5)”), supra note 27.

58.  NDAA 2020, sec. 1758(b)(3), supra note 27.

59.  NDAA 2020, sec. 1758(a) and (b), supra note 27.

60.   See Northern Mariana Islands Long-Term Legal Residents Relief Act, Public Law 116-24 , sec. 2 (2019) ( 48 U.S.C. 1806(e)(6) ).

61.   See NDAA 2020, sec. 1758(b)(3), supra note 27.

62.   See Cruz-Miguel, 650 F.3d at 198; Ortega-Cervantes, 501 F.3d at 1116.

63.  DHS, USCIS, Office of Performance and Quality (OPQ), Computer-Linked Application Information Management System (CLAIMS) 3 (queried 6/2024).

64.   See Texas v. Biden, 20 F.4th 928, 947 (5th Cir. 2021) (noting that “[q]uintessential modern uses of the parole power include . . . paroling aliens who qualify for a visa but are waiting for it to become available”) (citing T. Alexander Aleinikoff et al., Immigration and Citizenship: Process and Policy 299 (9th ed. 2021)), rev'd on other grounds, 597 U.S. 785 (2022).

65.   Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program, 72 FR 65588 (Nov. 21, 2007).

66.   Implementation of Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program, 79 FR 75581 (Dec. 18, 2014).

67.   Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Policy, 81 FR 28097 (May 9, 2016).

68.   Implementation of a Family Reunification Parole Process for Colombians, 88 FR 43591 (July 10, 2023).

69.   Implementation of a Family Reunification Parole Process for Ecuadorians, 88 FR 78762 (Nov. 16, 2023).

70.   Implementation of a Family Reunification Parole Process for Salvadorans, 88 FR 43611 (July 10, 2023).

71.   Implementation of a Family Reunification Parole Process for Guatemalans, 88 FR 43581 (July 10, 2023).

72.   Implementation of a Family Reunification Parole Process for Hondurans, 88 FR 43601 (July 10, 2023).

73.   Implementation of Changes to the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Process, 88 FR 54639 (Aug. 11, 2023); Implementation of Changes to the Haitian Family Reunification Parole Process, 88 FR 54635 (Aug. 11, 2023).

74.  INA sec. 101(b)(1)(B), 8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(1)(B) (defining “child” as an unmarried person under age twenty-one, who is, inter alia, “a stepchild, whether or not born out of wedlock, provided the child had not reached the age of eighteen years at the time the marriage creating the status of stepchild occurred”).

75.   See Section VI. of this notice for additional information regarding proper filing of a request for parole in place under this process.

76.   See INA 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) .

77.   See 8 CFR 103.2(b)(8) .

78.   See 8 CFR 103.2(b)(9) .

79.  As discussed further in Section V.A. of this notice, there is an exception for border security concerns for stepchildren who otherwise meet the criteria for parole in place under this process.

80.   See Section V.A. of this notice.

81.   See, e.g., Memorandum from Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary, U.S. Dep't of Homeland Security to Tae D. Johnson, Acting Director, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, et al., Guidelines for the Enforcement of Civil Immigration Law (Sept. 30, 2021) (“September 2021 Guidelines”), available at https://www.ice.gov/​doclib/​news/​guidelines-civilimmigrationlaw.pdf .

82.  As noted above and discussed further in Section V.A. of this notice, noncitizens present border security concerns if they were apprehended while attempting to enter the U.S. unlawfully or if they entered unlawfully after November 1, 2020. There is an exception to this for stepchildren who otherwise meet the criteria for parole in place under this process.

83.  A noncitizen with an unexecuted final removal order who overcomes this presumption and is granted parole in place, and who wishes to pursue adjustment of status, may file a motion to reopen or a motion to reopen and terminate removal proceedings with EOIR. Noncitizens may request U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA) to join (or not oppose) a motion to reopen and dismiss or terminate submitted to EOIR, depending on the facts and circumstances. Any such motion would be decided on its own merits in a distinct and separate process from the parole in place adjudication.

84.   See Matter of Castillo-Padilla, 25 I. & N. Dec. 257, 261 (BIA 2010), aff'd, 417 F. App'x 888 (11th Cir. 2011).

85.   See, e.g., September 2021 Guidelines, supra note 81.

86.   Nwozuzu v. Holder, 726 F.3d 323, 332 (2d Cir. 2013) (citing H.R. Rep. No. 82-1365 (1952), reprinted in 1952 U.S.C.C.A.N. at 1680); see also Holder v. Martinez Gutierrez, 566 U.S. 583, 594 (2012) (recognizing that the “objectives of providing relief to [noncitizens] with strong ties to the United States and promoting family unity . . . underlie or inform many provisions of immigration law,” even if “they are not the INA's only goals, and Congress did not pursue them to the n th degree”) (quotation marks omitted) (citing Fiallo v. Bell, 430 U.S. 787, 795 n.6 (1977), and INS v. Errico, 385 U.S. 214, 220 (1966)).

87.  OHSS Analysis, supra note 3, tbl. 3.

88.   Id. tbl. 5.

89.   Id. tbl. 4. While the total number of U.S. citizens living in families with noncitizen spouses who lack lawful status is over 2.5 million, including over 1.6 million children, the subset of U.S. citizens living with noncitizen spouses who lack lawful status, who have lived in the country for 10 or more years, and who entered without inspection is estimated to be 1.65 million, including an estimated 1.1 million U.S. citizen children.

90.  Edward Vargas & Vickie Ybarra, U.S. Citizen Children of Undocumented Parents: The Link Between State Immigration Policy and the Health of Latino Children, J. Immigr. Minor Health (Aug. 2017), available at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/​pmc/​articles/​PMC5236009 . The impact of this instability is particularly profound for children in these families. See “Preventing violence through the development of safe, stable, and nurturing relationships between children and their parents and caregivers,” World Health Organization and Centre for Public Health (2009), https://iris.who.int/​bitstream/​handle/​10665/​44088/​9789241597821_​eng.pdf ; Vincent J. Felitti et al., Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study, Am. J. Preventive Medicine 14 no. 4, 245-258 (1998), https://www.ajpmonline.org/​article/​S0749-3797(98)00017-8/​fulltext ; A. Martinez, L. Ruelas, and D. Granger, Household fear of deportation in Mexican-origin families: Relation to body mass index percentiles and salivary uric acid, Am. J. Hum. Biol. 2017, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/​28726338/​ ; L. Rojas-Flores, M. Clements, J. Hwang Koo, and J. London, Trauma and psychological distress in Latino citizen children following parental detention and deportation, Psychol. Trauma 2017, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/​27504961/​ .

91.  USCIS Military Parole in Place Memorandum, supra note 26.

92.   See 8 CFR 274a.12(c)(11) . Noncitizens who apply for adjustment of status to that of an LPR under INA sec. 245 may also apply for and obtain employment authorization while their adjustment application remains pending. See 8 CFR 274a.12(c)(9) .

93.  Cecilia Rouse, Lisa Barrow, Kevin Rinz, and Evan Soltas, White House Council of Economic Advisers, Economic Benefits of Extending Permanent Legal Status to Unauthorized Immigrants (Sept. 17, 2021), https://www.whitehouse.gov/​cea/​written-materials/​2021/​09/​17/​the-economic-benefits-of-extending-permanent-legalstatus-to-unauthorized-immigrants/​ .

94.   Id.

95.  Felipe González Morales, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants, How to Expand and Diversify Regularization Mechanisms and Programmes to Enhance the Protection of the Human Rights of Migrants, at 3, U.N. Doc. A/HRC.52/26 (Apr. 20, 2023).

96.   See supra note 93.

97.   See Migration Policy Institute, “Profile of the Unauthorized Population: United States,” available at https://www.migrationpolicy.org/​data/​unauthorized-immigrant-population/​state/​US (last visited June 16, 2024).

98.  Cecilia Rouse, Lisa Barrow, Kevin Rinz, and Evan Soltas, White House Council of Economic Advisers, Economic Benefits of Extending Permanent Legal Status to Unauthorized Immigrants (Sept. 17, 2021) (describing the ways in which the presence of immigrants helps stimulate the economy), available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/​cea/​written-materials/​2021/​09/​17/​the-economic-benefits-of-extending-permanent-legal-status-to-unauthorized-immigrants/​ .

99.   Id.; see also U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Number of unemployed persons per job opening, seasonally adjusted, available at https://www.bls.gov/​charts/​job-openings-and-labor-turnover/​unemp-per-job-opening.htm #.

100.  Memorandum from Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary, U.S. Dep't of Homeland Security, Worksite Enforcement: The Strategy to Protect the American Labor Market, the Conditions of the American Worksite, and the Dignity of the Individual (Oct. 12, 2021), available at https://www.dhs.gov/​publication/​memorandum-worksite-enforcement .

101.   See, e.g., Annette Bernhardt, Ruth Milkman, and Nik Theodor, National Employment Law Project, Broken Laws, Unprotected Workers: Violations of Employment and Labor Laws in America's Cities 25, 42-45 (Sept. 21, 2009), available at https://www.nelp.org/​insights-research/​broken-laws-unprotected-workers-violations-of-employment-and-labor-laws-in-americas-cities/​ .

102.   See, e.g., Tsedeye Gebreselassie, Nayantara Mehta, and Irene Tung, National Employment Law Project, How California Can Lead on Retaliation Reforms to Dismantle Workplace Inequality 8 (Nov. 2, 2022), available at https://www.nelp.org/​insights-research/​how-california-can-lead-on-retaliation- reforms-to-dismantle-workplace-inequality/ (noting that only 10 percent of respondents who experienced labor violations reported those violations to a government agency).

103.  U.S. Dep't of Homeland Security, DHS Announces Process Enhancements for Supporting Labor Enforcement Investigations (Jan. 13, 2023) (describing how deferred action protects undocumented workers who may then come forward to participate in enforcement agency investigations of potential violations of labor laws), available at https://www.dhs.gov/​news/​2023/​01/​13/​dhs-announces-process-enhancements-supporting-labor-enforcement-investigations .

104.   See, e.g., Carl Davis, Marco Guzman, and Emma Sifre, Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, Tax Payments by Undocumented Immigrants (July 30, 2024), available at https://itep.org/​undocumented-immigrants-taxes-2024 .

105.   See, e.g., Nat'l Taxpayer Advocate, Annual Report to Congress, Vol. 1, 199 (2015) (“In 2015, 4.4 million ITIN filers paid over $5.5 billion in payroll and Medicare taxes and $23.6 billion in total taxes”), available at https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/​wp-content/​uploads/​2020/​08/​ARC15_​Volume1.pdf ; Stephen Goss et al., Social Security Administration, Office of the Chief Actuary, Actuarial Note No. 151, Effects of Unauthorized Immigration on the Actuarial Status of the Social Security Trust Funds (Apr. 2013) (“For the year 2010, we estimate that the excess of tax revenue paid to the [Social Security] Trust Funds over benefits paid from these funds based on earnings of unauthorized workers is about $12 billion.”), available at https://www.ssa.gov/​oact/​NOTES/​pdf_​notes/​note151.pdf .

106.  Rouse et al., supra note 93 (citing Elizabeth U. Cascio & Ethan G. Lewis, Distributing the Green (Cards): Permanent Residency and Personal Income Taxes after the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, 172 J. Pub. Econ. 135 (2019)); Davis et al., supra note 104.

107.   See, e.g., National Academies, The Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Immigration (2017), available at https://www.nationalacademies.org/​our-work/​economic-and-fiscal-impact-of-immigration .

108.  USCIS, Appendix: Eligibility for Public Benefits (describing limitations on when “qualified aliens,” including parolees and LPRs, can access public benefits, typically after five years), available at https://www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​policy-manual-resources/​Appendix-EligibilityforPublicBenefits.pdf ; see also 8 U.S.C. 1641(b) (defining “qualified alien”). Cuban and Haitian nationals who are granted parole, however, are generally eligible for “Cuban-Haitian Entrant Program” (CHEP) benefits. See Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980, Public Law 96-422, sec. 501 ( 8 U.S.C. 1522 note ); 8 CFR 212.5(h) ; see also U.S. Dep't of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement, Benefits for Cuban/Haitian Entrants (Fact Sheet), available at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/​orr/​fact-sheet/​benefits-cuban/​haitian-entrants . Eventually, with LPR status, these parolees could potentially become eligible for other public benefits, but their uptake of these public benefits would likely be curtailed by their access to lawful employment and offset by the increased taxes they would pay as formal contributors to the economy. Rouse et al., supra note 93. However, as discussed elsewhere in this section, DHS estimates that only 13 percent of noncitizens likely to access this parole in place process are nationals of Western Hemisphere countries other than Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, or El Salvador.

109.  OHSS Analysis, supra note 3, tbl. 3.

110.   Id.

111.  The White House, Fact Sheet: Third Ministerial Meeting on the Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection in Guatemala (May 7, 2024) (“White House Fact Sheet”), available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/​briefing-room/​statements-releases/​2024/​05/​07/​fact-sheet-third-ministerial-meeting-on-the-los-angeles-declarationon-migration-and-protection-in-guatemala/​ .

112.   See U.S. Dep't of State, Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas at a Joint Press Availability (Apr. 27, 2023), available at https://www.state.gov/​secretary-antony-j-blinken-and-secretary-of-homeland-security-alejandro-mayorkas-at-a-joint-press-availability .

113.  White House Fact Sheet, supra note 111.

114.  The White House, Mexico-U.S. Joint Communique: Mexico and the United States Reaffirm Their Shared Commitments on an Orderly, Humane and Regular Migration (Dec. 28, 2023), available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/​briefing-room/​statements-releases/​2023/​12/​28/​mexico-u-s- joint-communique-mexico-and-the-united-states-reaffirm-their-shared-commitments-on-an-orderly-humane-and-regular-migration/.

115.   See, e.g., Government of Mexico, En diálogo con su homólogo estadounidense, presidente López Obrador ratifica propuesta en materia migratoria (In Dialogue with His American Counterpart, President López Obrador Ratifies Proposal on Immigration Matters) (Feb. 3, 2024), available at https://www.gob.mx/​presidencia/​prensa/​en-dialogo-con-su-homologo-estadounidense-presidente-lopez-obrador-ratifica-propuesta-en-materia-migratoria .

116.   See, e.g., Department of State, U.S.-Colombia Joint Commitment to Address the Hemispheric Challenge of Irregular Migration (June 4, 2023), available at https://www.state.gov/​u-s-colombia-joint-commitment-to-address-the-hemispheric-challenge-of-irregular-migration/​ ; see also Department of State, U.S. Relations with Mexico (Sept. 13, 2023), available at https://www.state.gov/​u-s-relations-with-mexico/​ .

117.   See, e.g., Jose Ivan Rodriguez-Sanchez, An Economic Lifeline? How Remittances from the U.S. Impact Mexico's Economy, Baker Institute of Rice University (Nov. 13, 2023), available at https://www.bakerinstitute.org/​research/​economic-lifeline-how-remittances-us-impact-mexicos-economy .

118.  Jeremy Harris and René Maldonado, Migrant wages and remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean in 2023, Migration Unpacked, Inter-American Development Bank (May 15, 2024), available at https://blogs.iadb.org/​migracion/​en/​migrant-wages-and-remittances-to-latin-america-and-the-caribbean-in-2023/​ .

119.   See id.

120.  Certain immigrant visa applicants may use Form I-601A to request a provisional waiver of the unlawful presence grounds of inadmissibility under INA section 212 (a)(9)(B) before departing the United States to appear at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate for an immigrant visa interview. 8 CFR 212.7(e)(3) .

121.  Every submission completed online rather than through paper provides cost savings and operational efficiencies to both USCIS and its customers. USCIS scans some applications, petitions, and requests received on paper so that they can be processed electronically. USCIS offers recommendations to avoid delays when filing paper; if more documents were filed electronically, it would reduce the time spent on scanning paper documents and free up more time for adjudication rather than administrative tasks. See U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements, 89 FR 6194 (Jan. 31, 2024).

122.   See 8 CFR 106.2(a)(7) ; 106.1(g) .

123.   8 CFR 212.7(e)(12)(i) .

124.   8 CFR 212.7(e)(14) .

125.  U.S. Dep't of State, Immigrant Visa Interview-Ready Backlog Report (July 2024), available at https://travel.state.gov/​content/​travel/​en/​us-visas/​visa-information-resources/​visas-backlog.html .

126.   Id.

127.  A grant of parole in place pursuant to this process does not automatically result in removal proceedings before DOJ EOIR being terminated or dismissed. Generally, a party to the removal proceedings (either the noncitizen or ICE) must move for termination or dismissal of removal proceedings. DOJ EOIR (either an immigration judge or the Board of Immigration Appeals) will evaluate and issue a decision on the motion for termination or dismissal under applicable standards. See, e.g., 8 CFR 1003.1(m) , 1239.2(b) ; 8 CFR 1003.18(d) .

128.  If removal proceedings are not terminated or dismissed, the immigration judge generally retains exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate any application for adjustment of status. 8 CFR 1245.2(a)(1) (providing that in “the case of any [noncitizen] who has been placed in . . . removal proceedings (other than as an arriving alien), the immigration judge . . . has exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate any application for adjustment of status”); see also 8 CFR 1245.2(a)(1)(ii) (describing exceptions for certain “arriving aliens”); 8 CFR 245.2(a)(1) (providing that USCIS “has jurisdiction to adjudicate an application for adjustment of status filed by any [noncitizen], unless the immigration judge has jurisdiction to adjudicate the application”).

129.  As discussed further in Section V.A. of this notice, there is an exception for border security concerns for stepchildren who otherwise meet the criteria for parole in place under this process.

130.   See, e.g., Stefano Comino et al., Silence of the Innocents: Undocumented Immigrants' Underreporting of Crime and their Victimization, 39 J. of Pol'y Analysis, 1214, 1215 (2020) (“Undocumented victims' reporting rate is less than half the size of documented ones.”).

131.   See Roberto G. Gonzales, Here's How DACA Changed the Lives of Young Immigrants, According to Research, Vox (Feb. 16, 2018), available at https://www.vox.com/​2017/​9/​2/​16244380/​daca-benefits-trump-undocumented-immigrants-jobs . Similar to deferred action, however, parole may be revoked at any time and does not constitute a right against enforcement action.

132.   Id.

133.   See, e.g., Stacey Ivie & Natalie Nanasi, The U Visa: An Effective Resource for Law Enforcement, 78 FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin 10, 10-16 (Oct. 2009).

134.  Noncitizens who are immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen and had a valid nonimmigrant visa but have remained in the United States beyond the period of stay authorized were admitted and paroled may be eligible to apply for adjustment of status without seeking parole in place. See INA sec. 245(a), 8 U.S.C. 1255(a) .

135.   See section VI.B. of this notice for a list of documents that may be provided to establish continuous physical presence.

136.   See Matter of Hosseinian, 19 I. & N. Dec. 453, 455 (BIA 1987) (“the validity of a marriage for immigration purposes is generally governed by the law of the place of celebration of the marriage”); Matter of Rodriguez-Cruz, 18 I. & N. Dec. 72, 73 (BIA 1981) (citing Matter of P-, 4 I. & N. Dec. 610, 613-14 (A.G. 1952) (observing that in the absence of a legislative definition of marriage for immigration purposes, “the generally accepted rule is that the validity of a marriage is governed by the law of the place of celebration”)).

137.   See 8 CFR 204.2(a)(2) (requiring certificate of marriage issued by civil authorities).

138.   See Adjudicator's Field Manual, Chapter 21, Family-based Petitions and Applications available at https://www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​policy-manual-afm/​afm21-external.pdf ; see also USCIS Policy Manual Volume 12, Part G, Spouses of U.S. Citizens, Chapter 2, Marriage and Marital Union for Naturalization, Section A, Validity of Marriage [12 USCIS-PM G.2(A)], available at https://www.uscis.gov/​policy-manual/​volume-12-part-g-chapter-2 (last updated June 28, 2024).

139.  This includes polygamous marriages and marriages involving minors, or marriages involving close relatives. See Matter of Manjoukis, 13 I. & N. Dec. 705 (BIA 1971) (14 year old not able to enter into legally valid marriage as it would be void under state law); Matter of H-, 9 I. & N. Dec. 640 (BIA 1962) (a polygamous marriage, though valid where contracted, is not recognized for immigration purposes); see also INA sec. 101(a)(35), 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(35) ; Matter of Lovo-Lara, 23 I. & N. Dec. 746, 752 n.3 (BIA 2005); Matter of B-, 5 I. & N. Dec. 698 (BIA 1954).

140.  USCIS does not recognize marriages that violate strong Federal public policy, see Matter of H-, 9 I. & N. Dec. 640 (BIA 1962), and there is a strong Federal policy against marriages to which one or both parties do not consent. The Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 added a definition of forced marriage (“a marriage to which 1 or both parties do not or cannot consent, and in which 1 or more elements of force, fraud, or coercion is present”), and provided for grants for victims' services and legal assistance for victims of forced marriage. See 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(16) .

141.   See INA sec. 201(b)(2)(A)(i), 8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)(i) .

142.  An immediate relative child's age is frozen at the time their Form I-130 or Form I-360 is filed in order to protect them from aging out before being able to adjust status. See INA sec. 201(f), 8 U.S.C. 1151(f) .

143.   See INA sec. 101(b)(1)(B), 8 U.S.C. 1101(b)(1)(B) .

144.   See Section VI.B. of this notice for a list of documents that may be provided to establish continuous physical presence.

145.  For the stepchild to be eligible for an immigrant visa petition or adjustment of status, additional requirements must be met, including that a bona fide relationship exists between the stepchild and U.S. citizen stepparent and, if applicable, eligibility for certain surviving relative benefits. See Matter of Pagnerre, 13 I. & N. Dec. 173 (BIA 1971) (when marriage is terminated by death but there was a continuing relationship thereafter between petitioner and beneficiary, petitioner is regarded as the stepparent of beneficiary for immigration purposes and petition); Matter of Mowrer, 17 I. & N. Dec. 613 (BIA 1981) (where the parents have legally separated or where the marriage has been terminated by divorce or death, the appropriate inquiry is whether a family relationship has continued to exist as a matter of fact between the stepparent and stepchild); see also INA secs. 201(b)(2)(A)(i) and 204( l ), 8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)(i) , 1154 ( l ) (describing additional requirements with respect to benefits for certain surviving relatives); 8 CFR 204.2(b) (same).

146.  Indicators of national security concerns include, but are not limited to, participation in activities that threaten the United States or gang membership. Indicators of public safety concerns include, but are not limited to, serious criminal conduct or criminal history. Indicators of border security concerns include recent apprehension while attempting to enter the U.S. unlawfully or apprehension following unlawful entry after November 1, 2020; however, there is an exception for border security concerns for stepchildren who otherwise meet the criteria for parole in place under this process.

147.  These categories of convictions also generally overlap with inadmissibility grounds for purposes of adjustment of status. See INA sec. 212(a), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a) . DHS reserves its discretion to determine that other offenses are disqualifying, even if not listed.

148.  Noncitizens who were under the age of 18 but convicted of a felony or a disqualifying misdemeanor are considered to have disqualifying criminal history and are not eligible for this process.

149.  Although not generally considered convictions for immigration purposes, USCIS will nonetheless consider juvenile delinquency adjudications as resulting in a presumption of ineligibility. However, the presumption may be overcome by factors such as the nature of the underlying offense, requestor's age at the time of the commission of the underlying offense, the length of time that has passed since the adjudication, the sentence or penalty imposed, evidence of rehabilitation, and any other relevant information.

150.  Arrests or criminal charges that do not result in a conviction, such as where a requestor had been arrested but no charges were lodged, or a requestor had been arrested with charges lodged that were later dismissed, does not result in a presumption of ineligibility.

151.  Presumptive ineligibility applies to any removal order issued under INA 240, 8 U.S.C. 1229a , INA 235(b)(1), 8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(1) , or any other provision of law. A final removal order under INA 240, 8 U.S.C. 1229a , is defined at INA 101(a)(47), 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(47) , and 8 CFR 1241.1 .

152.  These examples solely concern DHS's determination regarding whether the presumption of ineligibility for parole in place has been overcome; they are distinct from any standards considered by DOJ EOIR in the context of a motion to reopen.

153.  A decision by USCIS to grant parole in place to a requestor with an unexecuted removal order does not rescind, cancel, vacate, or otherwise remove the existence of the unexecuted removal order. DOJ EOIR has sole jurisdiction over the decision to reopen removal proceedings under INA section 240, 8 U.S.C. 1229a , see INA sec. 240(c)(7), 8 U.S.C. 1229a(c)(7) ; such reopening vacates any final removal order issued under INA section 240, 8 U.S.C. 1229a , see Nken v. Holder, 556 U.S. 418, 429 n.1 (2009). An unexecuted removal order issued by DOJ EOIR under INA section 240, 8 U.S.C. 1229a , remains in existence, notwithstanding a grant of parole in place, unless and until the INA section 240 proceedings are reopened by an immigration judge or the BIA. Unexecuted removal orders issued by DHS (such as an order of expedited removal under INA section 235(b)(1), 8 U.S.C. 1225(b)(1) , or an administrative order of removal under INA section 238(b), 8 U.S.C. 1228(b) ), likewise remain in existence unless and until they are vacated, canceled, or rescinded by the relevant issuing authority within DHS in that agency's sole discretion.

154.  This includes those with a pending appeal to the BIA, as their removal order would not be administratively final pending resolution of the appeal.

155.   See, e.g., September 2021 Guidelines, supra note 81. As noted in the September 2021 Guidelines, noncitizens present border security concerns if they were apprehended while attempting to enter the U.S. unlawfully or if they entered unlawfully after November 1, 2020. There is an exception to this for stepchildren who otherwise meet the criteria for parole in place under this process.

156.  Expired documents may be provided in conjunction with other documents.

157.  As authorized by the INA, biometric information collected in this process may be used by other DHS components. See also 8 CFR 103.16 . See also discussion on information use and disclosure in this notice.

158.   See INA sec. 212(d)(5)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(5)(A) .

159.   See INA secs. 201(b)(2)(A)(i), 204(l), 8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)(i) , 8 U.S.C. 1154(l) .

160.  Furthermore, by avoiding the need to depart the United States to seek an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, the noncitizen would not trigger the inadmissibility grounds at INA sec. 212(a)(9)(B), 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B) , by seeking admission after such departure.

161.  Additionally, there may be instances where the noncitizen would also have to file the Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility.

162.   See, e.g., September 2021 Guidelines, supra note 81.

163.   See 78 FR 536 (Jan. 6, 2013).

164.   See 8 CFR 212.7(e)(12)(i) (noting the conditions that must be satisfied for the provisional unlawful presence waiver to take effect).

165.   8 CFR 212.7(e) .

166.   See INA sec. 240A(b)(1)(A), 8 U.S.C. 1229b(b)(1)(A) .

167.   See INA sec. 201(b)(2)(A)(i), 8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)(i) ; 8 CFR 204.1(a)(1) .

168.   See, e.g., INA sec. 245(c)(2), 8 U.S.C. 1255(c)(2) .

169.   See Section V.A. of this notice for the full list of disqualifying criminal convictions.

170.   See id. for a list of factors USCIS may consider in determining whether the requestor has overcome the presumption.

171.  There is an exception for border security concerns for stepchildren who otherwise meet the criteria for parole in place under this process.

172.   See Historical National Median Processing Time (in Months) for All USCIS Offices for Select Forms by Fiscal Year, available at https://egov.uscis.gov/​processing-times/​historic-pt .

173.   See, e.g., Implementation of a Family Reunification Parole Process for Colombians, 88 FR 43591 (July 10, 2023); Implementation of a Family Reunification Parole Process for Ecuadorians, 88 FR 78762 (Nov. 16, 2023); Implementation of a Family Reunification Parole Process for Salvadorans, 88 FR 43611 (July 10, 2023); Implementation of a Family Reunification Parole Process for Guatemalans, 88 FR 43581 (July 10, 2023); Implementation of a Family Reunification Parole Process for Hondurans, 88 FR 43601 (July 10, 2023); Implementation of Changes to the Cuban Family Reunification Parole Process, 88 FR 54639 (Aug. 11, 2023); Implementation of Changes to the Haitian Family Reunification Parole Process, 88 FR 54635 (Aug. 11, 2023).

174.   See Section V.A. of this notice for a list of examples of information that may be relevant to DHS in its determination as to whether the requestor has overcome the presumption of ineligibility.

175.  DOS also requests applicants or beneficiaries of certain immigration benefit requests submit Form I-134 in certain circumstances.

176.   See 8 CFR 213a.3(e)(2)(i) .

177.   See Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), Public Law 104-193 , title IV, 110 Stat. 2105, 2260-77 (Aug 22, 1996).

178.   8 U.S.C. 1613 .

179.  OHSS Analysis, supra note 3, tbl. 5.

180.   See Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980, Public Law 96-422, sec. 501 ( 8 U.S.C. 1522 note ); 8 CFR 212.5(h) ; see also U.S. Dep't of Health and Human Services, Office of Refugee Resettlement, Benefits for Cuban/Haitian Entrants (Fact Sheet), available at https://www.acf.hhs.gov/​orr/​fact-sheet/​benefits-cuban/​haitian-entrants .

181.   See Public Law 109-13 , div. B, secs. 201-207 (codified at 49 U.S.C. 30301 note ); see also 6 CFR pt. 37 .

182.   See, e.g., Zachary Liscow and William Woolson, Does Legal Status Matter for Educational Choices? Evidence from Immigrant Teenagers, American Law and Economics Review (Dec. 11, 2017), available at https://dx.doi.org/​10.2139/​ssrn.3083026 .

183.  DHS cannot accurately predict the behavior of the affected population and hence cannot accurately forecast how many individuals would choose to pursue this policy. The two population scenarios can therefore better inform stakeholders of possible impacts, showing estimated impacts if less (more) individuals than the point estimate of 550,000 choose to pursue this policy.

184.  Bryan Baker and Robert Warren, Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: January 2018-January 2022, available at https://ohss.dhs.gov/​topics/​immigration/​unauthorized-immigrants/​estimates-unauthorized-immigrants (last visited June 17, 2024).

185.  This rate is on average 12%. Source: Migration Policy Institute, Profile of the Unauthorized Population: United States, available at https://www.migrationpolicy.org/​data/​unauthorized-immigrant-population/​state/​US (last visited June 17, 2024).

187.  In 2023, the labor force participation rate of the foreign born increased to approximately 67 percent (rounded value). See BLS Foreign-Born Workers: Labor Force Characteristics—2023 (May 21, 2024) https://www.bls.gov/​news.release/​archives/​forbrn_​05212024.pdf .

Calculation: 350,000 * 67 percent = 234.500, and 750,000 * 67 percent = 502,500.

188.  Nolan G. Pope, The Effects of DACAmentation: The Impact of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals on Unauthorized Immigrants, Journal of Public Economics, vol. 143, 2016: 98-114.

189.  Pan, Y. The Impact of Legal Status on Immigrants' Earnings and Human Capital: Evidence from the IRCA 1986. J. Labor Res. 33, 119-142 (2012).

190.  Orrenius, Pia M., and Madeline Zavodny. 2015. “The Impact of Temporary Protected Status on Immigrants' Labor Market Outcomes.” American Economic Review, 105(5): 576-80.

191.  Despite being labeled as a “wage penalty,” such estimates are generally reported as a percentage of earnings before work authorization, rather than after.

192.   See George J. Borjas and Hugh Cassidy, The wage penalty to undocumented immigration, Lab. Econ. 61, art. 101757 (2019) (hereinafter Borjas and Cassidy (2019)), https://scholar.harvard.edu/​files/​gborjas/​files/​labourecon2020.pdf .

193.   Id.

194.  Francesc Ortega and Amy Hsin, Occupational barriers and the productivity penalty from lack of legal status, https://docs.iza.org/​dp11680.pdf Labour Economics 76 (2022): 102181, https://www.sciencedirect.com/​science/​article/​abs/​pii/​S0927537122000720 .

195.  Albert, Cristoph The Labor Market Impact of Immigration: Job Creation versus Job Competition, American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics 13(1) 2021, https://pubs.aeaweb.org/​doi/​pdfplus/​10.1257/​mac.20190042 .

196.  Kossoudji & Cobb-Clark Coming Out of the Shadows: Learning About Legal Status and Wages from the Legalized Population, Lab. Econ. 20(3) 2002, https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/​doi/​epdf/​10.1086/​339611 .

197.   Id.

198.  Evin Millet and Jacquelyn Pavilon, Demographic Profile of Undocumented Hispanic Immigrants in the United States (Oct. 14, 2022), at https://cmsny.org/​publications/​hispanic-undocumented-immigrants-millet-pavilon-101722/​ . This report also provides that, in comparison, the mean and median wages for Hispanic documented immigrants are $40,032 and $30,000, respectively. Accordingly, the 2022 Center for Migration Studies (CMS) data indicate a wage gap of 40 percent for mean earnings and 20 percent for median earnings. However, DHS excludes the 20 percent to 40 percent wage gap identified in the report from this analysis because the CMS report compares only the average wages between documented and undocumented workers. The CMS report did not state it made any adjustments for other factors that may affect the differences in wages between the two populations, such as age, education, or skills. Without these adjustments, the wage gap between the two populations may not necessarily equate to the wage penalty for being undocumented.

Note: This study uses 2019 Census ACS data. Earnings to be adjusted to 2023 dollars.

199.  Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States: January 2018-January 2022, DHS, Office of Homeland Security Statistics (May 6, 2024), at https://www.dhs.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​2024-05/​2024_​0418_​ohss_​estimates-of-the-unauthorized-immigrant-population-residing-in-the-united-states-january-2018%E2%80%93january-2022.pdf , Table 2 Unauthorized Immigrant Population Estimates by Top 10 Countries of Birth: 2018-2020 and 2022.

200.  Source: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/​series/​ECIWAG . Calculation: Earnings CY 2019 *(Average CY 2023 ECIWAG/Average CY 2019 ECIWAG) = $28,252 * 1.17874 = $33,302 (rounded).

201.   See Temporary Increase of the Automatic Extension Period of Employment Authorization and Documentation for Certain Employment Authorization Document Renewal Applicants, 89 FR 24628 (Apr. 8, 2024) (final rule), https://www.govinfo.gov/​content/​pkg/​FR-2024-04-08/​pdf/​2024-07345.pdf ; Classification for Victims of Severe Forms of Trafficking in Persons; Eligibility for “T” Nonimmigrant Status, 89 FR 34864 (Apr. 30, 2024) (final rule), https://www.govinfo.gov/​content/​pkg/​FR-2024-04-30/​pdf/​2024-09022.pdf .

202.  See Occupational Employment Statistics program, All Occupations, available at https://www.bls.gov/​oes/​2023/​may/​oes_​nat.htm#00-0000 . 10th percentile hourly wages used here are available in the “national_M2023_dl” excel file at https://www.bls.gov/​oes/​special.requests/​oesm23nat.zip (last visited July 11, 2024).

203.  The benefits-to-wage multiplier is calculated as follows: (total employee compensation per hour)/(wages and salaries per hour) = $42.48/$29.32 = 1.45 (rounded). See Bureau of Labor Stat., U.S. Dep't of Labor, “Employer Costs for Employee Compensation—December 2023,” https://www.bls.gov/​news.release/​archives/​ecec_​03172023.pdf (last visited July 11, 2024).

204.  Bureau of Labor Stat., U.S. Dep't of Labor, https://www.bls.gov/​news.release/​archives/​empsit_​01052024.htm (last visited July 10, 2024).

205.  Calculation: ((4% + 6%)/2 + 5% + 8% + (14% + 24%)/2)/4 = 9% (rounding).

206.  The prime-age (25-54) employment-to-population ratio has been over 80% since November 2022. https://fred.stlouisfed.org/​series/​LNS12300060 (last accessed July 10, 2024). Methods that isolate the effect of population aging (capturing, for example, aging within the 25-54 cohort) indicate that the adjusted employment-to-population ratio is at historical highs. https://www.whitehouse.gov/​cea/​written-materials/​2023/​07/​27/​labor-market-indicators-are-historically-strong-after-adjusting-for-population-aging/​ . Other measures of full employment provide evidence that there is not substantial slack in the labor market; for example, in the July 2024 Summary of Economic Projections of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the unemployment rate is projected to remain below the longer-run stable value in 2024. https://www.federalreserve.gov/​monetarypolicy/​2024-07-mpr-part3.htm .

207.  Not all of these earnings are retained by workers; some are taxed, both through payroll taxes and other taxes, as previously discussed.

208.   See, e.g., David Card, Who Set Your Wage?, American Economic Review, vol. 112, no. 4, April 2022: 1075-90.

209.  For example, without this policy and all else equal, stepchildren that become adults and become independent of parents would not have access to public assistance program only available to authorized noncitizens or naturalized citizens. The same could apply in the cases of divorce.

210.  Caitlin Patler and Whitney Laster Pirtle, From Undocumented to Lawfully Present: Do Changes to Legal Status Impact Psychological Wellbeing Among Latino Immigrant Youth Adults?, Social Science & Medicine, vol. 199 (2018): 39-48.

211.  Linea Hasager, Does Granting Refugee Status to Family-Reunified Women Improve Their Integration?, Journal of Public Economics, vol. 234 (2024): 105119.

212.  Elizabeth U. Cascio, Paul Cornell and Ethan G. Lewis, The Intergenerational Effects of Permanent Legal Status, NBER Working Paper No. 32635 (June 2004), https://www.nber.org/​papers/​w32635 .

213.  Figlio, David, Jonathan Guryan, Krzysztof Karbownik, and Jeffrey Roth. 2014. “The Effects of Poor Neonatal Health on Children's Cognitive Development.” American Economic Review 104(12): 3921-3955.

214.  Behrman, Jere R. and Mark R. Rosenzweig. 2004. “Returns to Birth Weight.” Review of Economics and Statistics. 86(2): 586-601; Black, Sandra E., Paul J. Devereux, and Kjell G. Salvanes. 2007. “From the Cradle to the Labor Market? The Effect of Birth Weight on Adult Outcomes.” Quarterly Journal of Economics 122(1): 409-439; Philip Oreopoulos, Mark Stabile, Randy Walld, and Leslie L. Roos, Short-, Medium-, and Long-Term Consequences of Poor Infant Health: An Analysis Using Siblings and Twins, Journal of Human Resources, January 2008, 43 (1) 88-138; Royer, Heather. 2009. “Separated at Girth: U.S. Twin Estimates of the Effects of Birth Weight.” American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 1(1): 49-85.

215.  Estimated burden hours, subject to revision based on public comments.

216.   See USCIS, Form I-765, Instructions for Application for Employment Authorization, OMB Control Number 1615-0040 (expires Feb. 28, 2027), https://www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​forms/​i-765instr.pdf (last visited July 11, 2024).

217.   See USCIS, Form G-1055, Fee Schedule, Effective April 1, 2024, p. 33 of 39, https://www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​forms/​g-1055.pdf (last visited July 11, 2024).

218.   See USCIS, Form I-485, Instructions for Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, OMB Control Number 1615-0023 (expires Feb. 28, 2026), https://www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​forms/​i-485instr.pdf (last visited July 11, 2024).

219.   See USCIS, Form G-1055, Fee Schedule, Effective April 1, 2024, p. 14 of 39, https://www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​forms/​g-1055.pdf (last visited July 11, 2024).

220.   See USCIS, Form I-130, Instructions for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, and Form I-130A, Supplemental Information for Spouse Beneficiary, OMB Control Number 1615-0012 (expires Feb. 28, 2027), https://www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​forms/​i-130instr.pdf (last visited July 11, 2024).

221.   See USCIS, Form G-1055, Fee Schedule, Effective April 1, 2024, p. 7 of 39, https://www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​forms/​g-1055.pdf (last visited July 11, 2024).

222.  DHS assumes the preparers with similar knowledge and skills necessary for filing an application have average wage rates equal to the average lawyer wage of $84.84 per hour. DHS adjusts by the benefits-to-wage multiplier for a total compensation rate of 84.84 * 1.45 = $123.02 (rounded). See Bureau of Labor Stat., DOL, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, “Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023, 23-1011 Lawyers,” https://www.bls.gov/​oes/​2023/​may/​oes231011.htm .

223.  Source: OP&S, PRD, C3. Queried July 17, 2024.

224.  A mileage rate for travel-related automobile costs is assumed. A rate of $0.625 per mile is adopted from the U.S. General Services Administration website at https://www.gsa.gov/​travel/​plan-book/​transportation-airfare-pov-etc/​privately-owned-vehicle-mileage-rates/​pov-mileage-rates-archived for privately owned vehicle mileage reimbursement rates. Rate effective July 1, 2022.

225.   See Employment Authorization for Certain H-4 Dependent Spouses, 80 FR 10284 (Feb. 25, 2015); Provisional and Unlawful Presence Waivers of Inadmissibility for Certain Immediate Relatives, 78 FR 536 , 572 (Jan. 3, 2013).

226.  Source: USCIS, DHS, Instructions for Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (Form I-485), OMB No. 1615-0023 (expires Feb. 28, 2026), https://www.uscis.gov/​sites/​default/​files/​document/​forms/​i-485instr.pdf .

227.  Calculations: (((50 * $0.625) + ((2.5+1.17) * $18.67))) = $99.77 (rounded).

228.  DHS cannot accurately and confidently estimate how many potential waivers could be granted across all of the required forms. For the purposes of this FRN, DHS assumes that if requestors have the ability to submit a new form I-131F and pay the $580 fee, they would generally have the ability to pay the rest of the required form filing fees in this process created by this policy and would generally not qualify for any fee waivers. Nevertheless, if some fee waivers were to be granted, the total amount of transfer payments would not change, but the fee waivers would represent a transfer from the USCIS-fee paying population to the requestors.

229.  Internal Revenue Service, Federal Income Tax Rates and Brackets, https://www.irs.gov/​filing/​federal-income-tax-rates-and-brackets .

230.   See, e.g., Tonya Moreno, “Your Guide to State Income Tax Rates,” The Balance, https://www.thebalance.com/​state-income-tax-rates-3193320 (last updated July 11, 2024).

231.  Internal Revenue Service, Topic No. 751 Social Security and Medicare Withholding Rates, https://www.irs.gov/​taxtopics/​tc751 (last updated July 11, 2024).

232.   See BLS, Employment Projections (Sept. 2020), Occupations with the most job growth, Table 1.4. Occupations with the most job growth, 2019 and projected 2029, available at https://www.bls.gov/​emp/​tables/​occupations-most-job-growth.htm .

233.   See, e.g., National Academies, The Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Immigration (2017), https://www.nationalacademies.org/​our-work/​economic-and-fiscal-impact-of-immigration .

234.  NAS, The Economic and Fiscal Consequences of Immigration (2017), at 195 https://www.nap.edu/​catalog/​23550/​the-economic-and-fiscal-consequences-of-immigration .

235.   Id. at 5.

236.   Id. at 5-6.

237.   Id. at 5.

238.  Joan Monras, Immigration and Wage Dynamics: Evidence from the Mexican Peso Crisi, Journal of Political Economy, 2020, vol. 128, no. 8: 3017-89.

239.  NAS Report at 6-7.

240.  Giovanni Peri, Derek Rury, and Justin C. Wiltshire, The Economic Impact of Migrants from Hurricane Maria, Journal of Human Resources (2022): 0521-11655R1.

241.  Clemens, M.A., & Hunt, J. (2019). The Labor Market Effects of Refugee Waves: Reconciling Conflicting Results. ILR Review, 72(4), 818-857; Giovanni Peri and Vasil Yasenov, The Labor Market Effects of a Refugee Wave: Synthetic Control Method Meets the Mariel Boatlift, Journal of Human Resources, vol. 54, no. 2 (2019): 267-309.

242.  Alessandro Caiumi and Giovanni Peri, Immigration's Effect on US Wages and Employment Redux, NBER Working Paper No. 32389 (Apr. 2024), https://www.nber.org/​papers/​w32389 .

243.   5 U.S.C. 553(b)(A) .

244.   See Lincoln v. Vigil, 508 U.S. 182, 197 (1993) (quoting Chrysler Corp. v. Brown, 441 U.S. 281, 302 n.31 (1979)).

245.  A general policy statement typically uses permissive, rather than binding, language that leaves the agency free to exercise discretion. See, e.g., Nat'l Mining Ass'n v. McCarthy, 758 F.3d 243, 251-52 (D.C. Cir. 2014) (distinguishing legislative rules from general statements of policy, observing that “[a]n agency action that merely explains how the agency will enforce a statute or regulation—in other words, how it will exercise its broad enforcement discretion or permitting discretion under some extant statute or rule—is a general statement of policy”); Appalachian Power Co. v. EPA, 208 F.3d 1015, 1023 (D.C. Cir. 2000) (rejecting the EPA's characterization of its document as guidance exempt from notice-and-comment rulemaking, reasoning that the guidance “commands, . . . requires, . . . orders, [and] dictates”); Cmty. Nutrition Inst. v. Young, 818 F.2d 943, 946 (D.C. Cir. 1987) (per curiam) (noting as primary considerations whether the agency action (1) “impose[s] any rights and obligations,” or (2) “genuinely leaves the agency and its decisionmakers free to exercise discretion” (quotation marks omitted)).

246.   See, e.g., Cuban Family Reunification Parole Program (Nov. 21, 2007), supra note 65; Central American Minors Parole Program (Dec. 1, 2014), discussed at 82 FR 38926 ; Haitian Family Reunification Parole Program (Oct. 27, 2014), supra note 66; Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Policy (May 9, 2016), supra note 67; Implementation of a Family Reunification Parole Process for Colombians, et al. (July 10-Aug. 11, 2023), supra notes 68-72. Prior to these parole policy statements, even after Congress's limiting amendment to the parole statute in 1996 to require “case-by-case” consideration, the parole authority continued to be used expansively to create new parole programs and processes. In 2000, for example, the parole authority was used to entirely replace the statutorily sunsetting Visa Waiver Pilot Program under INA section 217, in order to provide the significant public benefit of avoiding the wholesale disruption of international travel and commerce, and the serious harm to the U.S. economy and foreign relations that would have been caused by suddenly imposing visa requirements on visitors for business or pleasure from most developed countries. See, e.g., Visa Waiver Pilot Program Expires; INS Puts In Place Interim Procedures, 77 Interpreter Releases 597 (May 8, 2000); Congressional Research Service, Visa Waiver Program (revised Aug. 1, 2016) at 29, available at https://crsreports.congress.gov/​product/​pdf/​RL/​RL32221/​42 . Under that parole process, tens of millions of foreign visitors were paroled into the United States on a case-by-case basis between May 1 and October 30, 2000, without rulemaking. Although DHS prescribed certain guidelines for determinations on parole from custody of certain noncitizens, see 8 CFR 212.5(b) , and established the international entrepreneur parole process, see 8 CFR 212.19 , through notice-and-comment rulemaking, this does not preclude the Department from electing, consistent with the APA, to forgo formal rulemaking. See, e.g., Hoctor v. U.S. Dep't of Agric., 82 F.3d 165, 171-72 (7th Cir. 1996) (observing that there is nothing in the APA that forbids an agency's use of notice-and-comment procedures even if not required under the APA, and that courts should attach no weight to an agency's varied approaches involving similar rules).

247.   Cent. Texas Tel. Coop. v. FCC, 402 F.3d 205, 214 (D.C. Cir. 2005) (cleaned up); accord Sec. Indus. and Fin. Mkts. Ass'n v. CFTC, 67 F. Supp. 3d 373, 423 (D.D.C. 2014) (citing cases).

248.   See 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(1) .

249.   Mast Indus., Inc. v. Regan, 596 F. Supp. 1567, 1582 (C.I.T. 1984) (quoting H.R. Rep. No. 79-1980, at 23 (1946)).

250.   See, e.g., Rajah v. Mukasey, 544 F.3d 427, 437 (2d Cir. 2008).

251.   See, e.g., The White House, Fact Sheet: The Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection U.S. Government and Foreign Partner Deliverables (June 10, 2022), available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/​briefing-room/​statements-releases/​2022/​06/​10/​fact-sheet-the-los-angeles-declaration-on-migration-and-protection-u-s-government-and-foreign-partner-deliverables/​ .

252.  U.S. Dep't of State, Discussions with Mexican Officials on Migration at the Department of State (Jan. 20, 2024), available at https://www.state.gov/​discussions-with-mexican-officials-on-migration-at-the-department-of-state .

253.  Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, Visas: Important Information, available at https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/​peru/​index.php/​sconsulares/​visas (last visited June 16, 2024).

254.  The White House, Mexico-U.S. Joint Communique, supra note 114.

255.  Manuel Rueda and Elliot Spagat, Colombia asks for legal status for its people already in US, Associated Press, Nov. 29, 2022, available at https://apnews.com/​article/​venezuela-colombia-caribbean-united-states-immigration-7ed5fcde20338d56b04ff56925e54aff .

256.  The Safe Mobility Initiative is one of the many ways the United States facilitates access to lawful pathways from partner countries in the region at no cost, so migrants do not have to undertake dangerous journeys in search of safety and better opportunities. See U.S. Safe Mobility Initiative—United States Department of State, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Safe Mobility Initiative, available at https://www.state.gov/​refugee-admissions/​safe-mobility-initiative/​ (last visited July 24, 2024).

257.   Eliminating Exception to Expedited Removal Authority for Cuban Nationals Encountered in the United States or Arriving by Sea, 82 FR 4902 (Jan. 17, 2017).

258.   See Implementation of a Parole Process for Cubans, 88 FR 1266 (Jan. 9, 2023); Implementation of a Parole Process for Haitians, 88 FR 1243 (Jan. 9, 2023); Implementation of a Parole Process for Nicaraguans, 88 FR 1255 (Jan. 9, 2023); and Implementation of Changes to the Parole Process for Venezuelans, 88 FR 1279 (Jan. 9, 2023).

259.   See U.S. Dep't of Homeland Security, DHS Announces Family Reunification Parole Processes for Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras (July 17, 2023), https://www.dhs.gov/​news/​2023/​07/​07/​dhs-announces-family-reunification-parole-processes-colombia-el-salvador-guatemala ; see also Implementation of a Family Reunification Parole Process for Colombians, et al., supra notes 68-72.

260.   See 5 CFR 1320.8(d) and 1320.10(e) .

[ FR Doc. 2024-18725 Filed 8-19-24; 8:45 am]

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Security Officer Cover Letter Examples and Templates for 2024

Security Officer Cover Letter Examples and Templates for 2024

Frank Hackett

  • Cover Letter Examples
  • Cover Letter Text Examples
  • How To Write a Security Officer Cover Letter

A great security officer cover letter must illustrate your proven track record of protecting civilians, preventing security threats, and de-escalating potential conflicts. Showcase how you’ve leveraged your leadership skills to manage emergency situations calmly and professionally throughout your career. Our guide provides expert tips and examples to capture your strongest qualifications and build an eye-catching security officer cover letter.

Security Officer Cover Letter Templates and Examples

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Security Officer Cover Letter Examples and Templates for 2024

Security Officer Text-Only Cover Letter Templates and Examples

Aliya Jackson Security Officer | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | New York, NY 12345 | LinkedIn

January 1, 2024

Celia Alvarez Senior Hiring Manager John F. Kennedy International Airport (987) 654-3210 [email protected]

Dear Ms. Alvarez:

In 2023, as a security officer at the Philadelphia International Airport, I successfully identified and responded to over 15 security incidents per day. My ability to handle high-pressure situations with calmness and professionalism will allow me to excel in the security officer role with your organization.

I understand that John F. Kennedy International Airport needs an experienced security guard with exceptional leadership capabilities. In my previous position, I successfully improved response times by 10% across the security team. I can achieve similar success for your company based on my career achievements:

  • Supervised a team of 13 security officers to detect dangerous objects and hazardous items, monitor suspicious activity, and resolve conflicts using de-escalation techniques
  • Enforced security protocols and policies to ensure the safety of passengers, airport personnel, and customer property and identified opportunities to improve response times
  • Provided crowd control support to prevent safety incidents and identify security threats during emergencies and high-volume periods

I’d like to set up an interview to discuss how my capabilities as a security officer can help improve response times at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Please feel free to contact me with a time that works best for your schedule. I appreciate your time and consideration.

Best regards,

Aliya Jackson

Robert Ortiz  Security Officer | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | Boston, MA 12345 | LinkedIn

Lori Taylor Senior Hiring Manager John F. Kennedy International Airport (987) 654-3210 [email protected]

Dear Ms. Taylor:

Reducing health and safety incidents in my patrol area by 20% last year was one of my most notable career achievements. My keen observational abilities have allowed me to detect and diffuse security threats peacefully and efficiently throughout my career. I’m eager to leverage my unique skill sets in the security officer position at East Boston Medical Center.

As a dedicated officer with four years of experience improving safety and security in public service buildings, I have the qualifications and experience to thrive in a fast-paced health care setting. My unique background will allow me to enhance security operations for your medical facility based on my previous achievements:

  • Monitored and patrolled a facility with over 200 employees and up to 300 active patients, responded to security incidents, and maintained composure during emergencies
  • Ensured compliance with hospital and safety regulations to reduce risks and maintain secure environments for medical personnel, patients, hospital employees, and visitors
  • Identified and reported potential security threats and safety risks quickly and efficiently and coordinated with the security team to improve the accuracy of incident reporting

I look forward to telling you more about how my experience working in high-volume health care environments would be an asset to your organization. Feel free to contact me via phone or email at your convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Robert Ortiz

Matthew Johnson Security Officer | [email protected] | (123) 456-7890 | Detroit, MI 12345 | LinkedIn

Jasmine Brown Senior Hiring Manager Securitas Inc. (987) 654-3210 [email protected]

Dear Ms. Brown:

During my time with Alliance Security Corp., I successfully mitigated potential security threats and exceeded average response times across the team by 30%. With a proven track record of delivering quality security services and exceptional customer service, I can achieve similar results for your team as the new security officer.

Securitas Inc.’s reputation as a leading security provider is what draws me to apply for this position. Throughout my career, I’ve continuously found new ways to refine security protocols and reduce the risk of dangerous safety incidents. My unique background within the security field will allow me to create value for your clients based on my previous successes:

  • Conducted CCTV surveillance and patrols to maintain the security and safety of client sites with 200 to 600 personnel, oversaw access control, and ensured compliance with security protocols
  • Exceeded average response times by up to 30% on a team of 25 security officers and provided coaching and training on conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques
  • Ensured proper maintenance of firearms and enforced compliance with safety regulations

I would like to schedule an interview to provide more insights into how my security expertise can help elevate response times across your team. Feel free to contact me via phone or email at your convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Matthew Johnson

How To Write a Security Guard Cover Letter

The first step in crafting a strong security officer cover letter is to carefully research the company you’re applying to. What are the organization’s security needs? How does your background position you as an ideal fit for the role? These are the questions to ask before crafting your content.

For example, suppose you were pursuing a security officer job at an international airport. In this case, you might emphasize your experience coordinating security operations and enforcing protocols in high-volume settings. Conflict resolution and communication skills are also key in this instance, as you’ll be interfacing with a diverse range of individuals on a daily basis.

1. Contact information and salutation

Greeting the hiring manager by name — Mr. or Ms. [Last Name] is important. This small personal touch shows you’ve taken the time to learn more about the company before submitting your security officer cover letter and that you’re genuinely interested in joining their team. If you can’t find the hiring manager’s name, use a variation of “Dear Hiring Manager.” You can also feature a link to your LinkedIn URL in your header as well.

2. Introductory paragraph

Leading with a strong introduction is a great way to grab the hiring manager’s attention. As a security officer, build your paragraph around one of your most notable career achievements. For example, you might draw attention to your exceptional response times or provide details regarding a major security incident you resolved.

3. Body paragraphs

Continue to describe your background, qualifications, and achievements as a security officer in your body paragraphs. Start by mentioning specific details about the company’s reputation or mission statement and why you’re interested in joining their team. Emphasize accomplishments that demonstrate how your security background aligns with the organization’s needs. For instance, if an employer was looking for a security officer to provide services in a health care setting, you might highlight your experience enforcing safety regulations and protocols.

4. Key skills and qualifications

For a security officer cover letter, highlight qualifications that are essential for diffusing dangerous situations with poise and professionalism. Below are potential skills hiring managers will be looking for during the job search:

  • Access control
  • Behavioral analysis
  • Communication
  • Conflict resolution
  • CPR certified
  • Cultural awareness
  • Customer service
  • De-escalation techniques
  • Diversity and inclusion
  • Emergency response
  • Firearm safety
  • Law enforcement
  • Physical security
  • Risk assessment
  • Safety protocols
  • Security management
  • Security operations
  • Security training
  • Surveillance
  • Team leadership

5. Closing paragraph

Your closing paragraph needs to include a call-to-action (CTA) that encourages the hiring manager to bring you in for an interview. Highlight how your unique background as a security officer can create value for their organization. Thank the hiring manager for their time in the final sentence, as this shows potential employers you’re both courteous and professional.

Security Officer Cover Letter Tips

1. feature your communication and conflict resolution skills.

Employers want candidates who possess the physical attributes required for a security officer position, but also the emotional intelligence to diffuse situations without the use of force. As you build your cover letter, provide tangible examples of you communicating effectively with diverse populations and de-escalating conflicts peacefully.

2. Quantify your security officer achievements

Incorporating hard numbers and data can be challenging for these types of niche roles. That said, taking the time to quantify your experience can greatly enhance the impact of your achievements and help you stand out in today’s competitive job market. For instance, you might highlight a notable increase in response times or show potential employers how you refined security protocols to reduce incidents.

3. Highlight your leadership background

Security officer positions are highly demanding, requiring bravery, poise, and exceptional leadership capabilities. As you craft your content, be sure to show hiring managers that you have a proven track record of responding to dangerous security threats and emergency situations while maintaining a clear head and a calm demeanor.

Security Officer Cover Letter FAQs

Why should i include a security officer cover letter -.

While most security officer positions won’t require a cover letter, including one can go a long way in differentiating yourself from other applicants during the job search process. One of the benefits of including a cover letter is that it allows you to showcase your experience using a more direct and personal approach in comparison to the resume. This also enables you to convey your genuine interest and enthusiasm, which can help make a lasting impression on the hiring manager.

How long should my cover letter be? -

It’s best to avoid submitting a cover letter with long-winded paragraphs and an excessive amount of information. Keep your content concise and focused, limited to 400 words or less. This ensures that the reader’s attention remains fixated on your most relevant contributions as a security professional.

Should I use artificial intelligence to write my cover letter? -

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools can be highly useful, but you need to be careful when using them to write a cover letter. Security officer job responsibilities tend to sound generic, and that won’t change if you allow ChatGPT to tell your whole story. If you opt to use AI writing support to give yourself a starting point, infuse your content with unique elements that capture who you are as a security professional.

Craft a new cover letter in minutes

Get the attention of hiring managers with a cover letter tailored to every job application.

Frank Hackett

Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

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Security Officer Cover Letter

A security officer cover letter should help employers see why it would benefit their business to hire you. It should highlight your skills and experience, reference the requirements mentioned in the job posting, and provide information about your training.

Security Officer — Free Cover Letter Template

Download our free security officer cover letter template in MS Word format.

Security Officer Cover Letter Sample:

[Full Name]

[Physical Address]

[Telephone Number]

[Email Address]

Re: Application for the position of security officer.

Dear [Recipient’s title and last name] ,

I am writing to apply for the position of security officer as advertised [on/in where you saw the advertisement] . My experience as a [the relevant field] and ability to [#1 skill] and [#2 skill] perfectly fit the advertised position's requirements. I would appreciate it if you would give serious consideration to my application for the position of security officer at [business's name] .

I have [the name of the required license / training / certificate] and/or [number] years of experience as a security officer. As per the requirements for the position at [business] , you will notice in my resume that I [mention skills, competencies, or experiences that answer directly to the requirements listed in the job posting] .

In my previous role as a security officer at [business] , I [discuss your core responsibilities] . In [year] , I [talk about a major accomplishment] . Experience has taught me to [what have you learned] .

I am thrilled to be applying to [business] because I admire your [name two or three things you know about the business in general that you like] . I believe that my commitment to the highest standards of service and accountability as a security officer will be of the greatest benefit to [business] .

Please find my resume attached. Feel free to contact me via email or phone call if I can be of any further assistance.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. I look forward to hearing from you.

[Your Name]

How to Write a Security Officer Cover Letter:

A step-by-step guide to writing the perfect security officer cover letter.

Address your letter.

Address the reader by name..

Address your letter directly to the hiring manager, recruiter, employee, or whoever the person is that put out the job posting.

Avoid generic greetings.

If a contact name is supplied or if it is possible to find out a name, avoid using a general greeting such as "To whom it may concern" or "Dear Sir/Madam." Use the relevant title before the person's last name — for example, "Mr. Miller" or "Ms. Anderson."

Start with an introduction.

Keep your introduction brief..

In no more than three sentences , tell the person why you are writing and what position you are applying to.

Indicate that you meet the job requirements.

Your writing should reflect the exact job title and you should briefly highlight key job advertisement requirements that you meet, for example, three year's experience as a security officer.

Mention that you feel you are the best person for the job.

Use one sentence to clearly state why you feel that you are the best fit for the security officer position.

Highlight your training and experience.

Briefly discuss your training..

Be sure to refer back to the job advertisement and directly address the stated requirements. Write a few sentences on licenses you may hold, such as a license issued by the Security Industry Authority (SIA), or any formal security officer training you've received, including specialty training. Alternatively, explain the nature of your related in-job training.

Highlight your experience.

State how many years you've worked as a security officer. Don't neglect to mention where you've worked. Limit this to a single sentence as you will be discussing your exact duties and work experience further on.

Match your core skills to those mentioned in the job ad.

Directly match prominently featured duties and responsibilities mentioned in the job ad with core skills and competencies from your resume. For example, if the job ad requires experience in a security specialty, such as private, airport, armored car, or armed escort security, mention the extent of your experience in that particular regard.

Describe your most recent job.

Discuss your most recent role and duties..

In a few sentences , talk about your responsibilities at your current or previous job as a security officer. Include details about how your contribution positively impacted a place of employment.

Briefly discuss what your experience has taught you about your role as a security officer.

Showcase your biggest accomplishments in your previous job.

Mention one or two of your proudest career moments, for example, for example, significantly reducing trespassing and theft, training new security officers in effective patrolling and the use of surveillance equipment, and being commended by managers for your dedication.

Celebrate the organization.

Mention two or three things you know about the business, individual, or institution you're applying to. Do a bit of research and find out about the products or services that they offer, their success stories, or their public image.

State the reasons why you want to work there.

Mention why joining them as a security officer appeals to you. This could include mention of the business's reputation as an employer, their competitive employee benefits, their investment in state-of-the-art surveillance equipment, and that their security requirements coincide with your expertise. State how you will add value.

End with a call to action.

Indicate that you would like to hear from them..

Say that you've attached your resume for their consideration and invite the reader to contact you via email or phone call.

Close your letter.

Thank the reader for their time. Add "sincerely" or an acceptable synonym and sign off with your full name.

Similar Jobs:

  • Security Guard .
  • Armed Security Officer .
  • Mall Security Guard .
  • Security Manager .
  • Unarmed Security Guard .

Common Cover Letter Mistakes

How do I write a cover letter for a security officer position?

  • Address your letter .
  • Start with an introduction .
  • Highlight your training and experience .
  • Describe your most recent job .
  • Celebrate the organization .
  • End with a call to action .

What must go into a security officer cover letter?

  • Your contact information.
  • The addressee's name.
  • A few paragraphs on your training, experience, and skills.
  • One paragraph on the responsibilities you had in your previous role.
  • A call to action.

How long should a security officer cover letter be?

A cover letter should ideally be no longer than a page. The letter should make a brief, strong case for why the applicant is the best fit for the advertised position.

Related Articles:

Security officer job description, how to address a cover letter, the 12 best cover letter tips for 2024, best cover letter generators, how to write a resume.

StandOut CV

Security Officer cover letter examples

Andrew Fennell photo

If you’re applying for roles as a security officer, it’s a safe bet that you’re going to need a cover letter. After all, the employer needs to know that you’re the best person for the job.

But if you’re not sure where to begin, you’ve come to the right place.

Below, we share our top tips on how to write an application that will secure you an interview.

We’ve also put together a few security officer cover letter examples to guide you.

CV templates 

Security Officer cover letter example 1

Security Officer cover letter 1

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Security Officer cover letter example 2

Security Officer cover letter 2

Security Officer cover letter example 3

Security Officer cover letter 3

The Security Officer cover letter examples above should give you a good idea of the type of content you need to include in your own cover letter, and how it should be structured.

But if you’re really looking to wow recruiters and get your CV in front of the very best employers, then check out our guidance on how to write your own effective cover letter below.

How to write a Security Officer cover letter

A simple step-by-step guide to writing your very own winning cover letter.

How to write a cover letter

Write your cover letter in the body of an email/message

You should write your cover letter in the body of the email (or messaging system if sending via a job board) and never attach it as a document.

The reason for this?

You want your cover letter to start connecting with the recruiter from the moment they open your application.

If they have to open a document to read it, it will slow things down and they may not even bother to open it.

Write cover letter in body of email

Start with a friendly greeting

Cover letter address

Start you cover letter with a greeting that is professional but friendly.

This will build rapport with the recruiter whilst showing your professionalism.

  • Hi, hope you’re well
  • Hi [insert recruiter name]
  • Hi [insert department/team name]

Avoid overly formal greetings like “Dear sir/madam ” unless applying to very traditional companies.

How to find the contact’s name?

Addressing the recruitment contact by name is an excellent way to start building a strong relationship. If it is not listed in the job advert, try these methods to find it.

  • Check out the company website and look at their  About page. If you see a hiring manager, HR person or internal recruiter, use their name. You could also try to figure out who would be your manager in the role and use their name.
  • Head to LinkedIn , search for the company and scan through the list of employees. Most professionals are on LinkedIn these days, so this is a good bet.

Identify the role you are applying for

Now that you have warmed the recruiter up with a friendly greeting, firstly you need to let them know which role you are applying for.

Sometimes a recruitment consultant will be juggling 10 or 10 vacancies, so it’s important to specify which one you are applying to.

Give us much detail as possible (team/department, role title etc.) and paste in the reference number if you have one.

Here are some examples you can use.

  • I am interested in applying for the role of Security Officer with your company.
  • I would like to apply for the role of Sales assistant (Ref: 40f57393)
  • I would like to express my interest in the customer service vacancy within your retail department
  • I saw your advert for an IT project manager on Reed and would like to apply for the role.

See also: CV examples – how to write a CV – CV profiles

Highlight your suitability

The main purpose of your cover letter is to excite recruiters and make them eager to open your CV. And you achieve this by quickly demonstrating your suitability to the job you are applying for.

Take a look at the job adverts you are applying for, and make note of the most important skills being asked for.

Then, when you write your cover letter, make your suitability the focal point.

Explain how you meet the candidate requirements fully, and why you are so well suited to carry out the job.

This will give recruiters all the encouragement they need to open your CV and consider your application.

Cover letter tips

Keep it short and sharp

It is best to keep your cover letter brief if you want to ensure you hold the attention of busy recruiters and hiring managers. A lengthy cover letter will probably not get read in full, so keep yours to around 3-6 sentences and save the real detail for your CV.

Remember the purpose of your cover letter is to quickly get recruiters to notice you and encourage them to open your CV, so it only needs to include the highlights of your experience.

Sign off professionally

To finish off your cover note, add a professional signature to the bottom, stating your important contact details and information.

This not only provides recruiters with multiple means of contacting you, but it also adds a nice professional appearance to the cover letter, which shows that you know how to conduct yourself in the workplace.

Include the following points;

  • A friendly sign off – e.g. “Warm regards”
  • Your full name
  • Phone number (one you can answer quickly)
  • Email address
  • Profession title
  • Professional social network – e.g. LinkedIn

Here is an example signature;

Warm regards,

Aaron Smith Customer service professional 075557437373 [email protected] LinkedIn

Quick tip : To save yourself from having to write your signature every time you send a job application, you can save it within your email drafts, or on a separate document that you could copy in.

Email signatures

What to include in your Security Officer cover letter

Here’s what kind of content you should include in your Security Officer cover letter…

The exact info will obviously depend on your industry and experience level, but these are the essentials.

  • Your relevant experience – Where have you worked and what type of jobs have you held?
  • Your qualifications – Let recruiters know about your highest level of qualification to show them you have the credentials for the job.
  • The impact you have made – Show how your actions have made a positive impact on previous employers; perhaps you’ve saved them money or helped them to acquire new customers?
  • Your reasons for moving – Hiring managers will want to know why you are leaving your current or previous role, so give them a brief explanation.
  • Your availability – When can you start a new job ? Recruiters will want to know how soon they can get you on board.

Don’t forget to tailor these points to the requirements of the job advert for best results.

Security Officer cover letter templates

Copy and paste these Security Officer cover letter templates to get a head start on your own.

Dear Michael,

I hope this email finds you well. As a recent school leaver with a Level 3 BTEC in Public Services I am thrilled to apply for the position of Entry-Level Security Officer at Phoenix Security.

Having previously worked as a receptionist at the Radisson Hotel, I have honed my observation skills and learnt to remain vigilant in identifying potential security threats. Throughout my three years with the company, I efficiently handled emergency situations, demonstrating my ability to stay calm and respond effectively under pressure including successfully performing first aid in five separate instances. My strong communication skills, developed through interacting with a diverse range of visitors and my Drama A Level studies, have equipped me to work collaboratively with the security team and uphold the highest safety standards. I am adept at using surveillance systems including ADT and PPF and my physical fitness from playing rugby and badminton is excellent.

I am eager to bring my enthusiasm for security and dedication to maintaining a safe environment to the team at Phoenix Security and I would love the opportunity to discuss how my skills and commitment align with your company’s vision.

Kind regards,

Laura Walton

I am writing to submit my application for the Security Officer vacancy at Bax Security, as advertised on LinkedIn. With my experience as a Security Officer at First Direct Arena in Leeds, where I diligently conducted regular patrols, maintained accurate security logs, and ensured a safe environment for events of all sizes, I am well-prepared to contribute to your team’s success.

In my current role at the arena, I have successfully implemented an efficient shift handover process, reduced communication errors and enhancing operational effectiveness. Moreover, I introduced a new online incident reporting system, leading to a 30% improvement in the accuracy and timeliness of incident documentation in 2021. Furthermore, my certifications in Advanced First Aid, CPR, AED, and as a Certified Security Professional (CSP) from the Institute of Security Management demonstrate my commitment to safety and security practices.

I am eager to bring my expertise to the team at Bax Security and would like to discuss how my skills align with your security needs in an interview at your earliest convenience.

Thank you for considering my application.

Phoebe Smith

Good morning, Jonathan

I trust you are well. I am writing to apply for the Senior Security Officer role at Venus Security Solutions. With over 15 years of experience in security management, I am confident in my ability to supervise and mentor a team of officers for high-security and large events and contracts.

In my current role at Green Flag, I successfully led the training program for the implementation of an advanced access control system on site at the Giles Road Arena, reducing unauthorised entries by 40%. I also hold a Level 4 First Aid certificate and led emergency response training last year that resulted in a 50% decrease in incident response time. Additionally, I contribute to regular comprehensive security audits, ensuring compliance with industry standards and best practices which has resulted in three gold standard external audits for the company.

I am eager to apply my expertise in risk assessment and crisis management to enhance security protocols at Venus Security Solutions alongside my duties during events.

I am available for an interview at your convenience to discuss how my achievements and leadership skills align with your company’s security objectives. Thank you for considering my application.

Best wishes,

Jess Walton

Writing a strong attention-grabbing cover letter is a vital step in landing a good Security Officer job.

Use the tips, strategies and examples above to get more responses from you job applications and start lining job interview up.

Good luck with your job search!

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What Is a Security Guard Cover Letter?

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How to Write a Cover Letter for a Secretary Guard Position?

Sample security guard cover letter.

  • Cover Letter Template
  • Cover Letter Examples

A Security Guard Cover Letter is a supplementary document filled out and attached to a Resume by a job candidate who wants to obtain employment and work watching over property to prevent any misconduct. If you want to patrol and inspect the location against criminal acts and natural hazards, the first thing you have to do is to convince the human resources department they should invite you for an in-person interview.

A Security Guard Cover Letter sample can be downloaded through the link below .

The main goal of the Cover Letter is to increase the employer's interest in your experience and qualifications, so make sure you use this statement to give the reader more insight into your professional life.

Follow these steps to compose a Cover Letter for a Security Guard:

  • Start with the header . It typically includes the full name of the job applicant and their contact details . If you submit your documentation online, insert a photo on top of the page if the job vacancy asked for it.
  • Greet the employer and introduce yourself . Before completing a Cover Letter, you should do your research online or ask people who may have worked for this company before about the specifics of employment and the hiring process to make sure your Cover Letter is tailored to every job. Explain who you are, where you heard about the position in question, and what motivated you to file a Job Application.
  • Focus on your main professional achievements so far . You will have an opportunity to elaborate on your career in the Resume and during an interview - the Cover Letter must highlight your main accomplishment. For instance, a Cover Letter prepared by the person with the experience of working as a head security officer can certify the job candidate has been responsible for monitoring a large territory, drafted a schedule for the entire security team, and handled multiple emergency situations to keep the property of the organization safe and mitigate future risks.
  • Briefly list the skills that will help you do your job perfectly - leadership ability, readiness to work in a team, observation and alertness, integrity and empathy. Since the work of a security guard may lead to physical exertion, you can also add you have been exercising regularly and have basic combat training to deal with thieves and aggressive trespassers.

Still looking for a particular sample? Take a look at the related templates and samples below:

  • Sample Cover Letter for Online Job Application ;
  • Sample Cover Letter for Graduate School ;
  • Job Application Cover Letter Template .

Download Sample Security Guard Cover Letter

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Experienced Security Officer Cover Letter Example (Free Guide)

Create an experienced security officer cover letter that lands you the interview with our free examples and writing tips. use and customize our template and land an interview today..

Experienced Security Officer Cover Letter Example

Are you an experienced security officer looking for a new job? This guide will provide you with a comprehensive overview of how to write a successful cover letter. Learn the best strategies for introducing yourself to potential employers and showcasing your security experience. Follow our tips to make sure your cover letter stands out from the competition.

We will cover:

  • How to write a cover letter, no matter your industry or job title.
  • What to put on a cover letter to stand out.
  • The top skills employers from every industry want to see.
  • How to build a cover letter fast with our professional Cover Letter Builder .
  • What a cover letter template is, and why you should use it.

Related Cover Letter Examples

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Experienced Security Officer Cover Letter Sample

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Dear Hiring Manager,

I am writing to apply for the position of Experienced Security Officer. With a proven track record of success in security roles, I am confident that I would be a great addition to your team.

I have 10+ years of experience in security and surveillance. In my current role, I am responsible for monitoring and enforcing security protocols in a large corporate office building. I have extensive experience in working with cutting edge security technology, such as access control systems, CCTV cameras, and alarm systems. I am also well-versed in the techniques used to identify potential security risks and take proactive measures to mitigate them.

In addition to my experience, I am a highly organized and detail-oriented individual with excellent communication skills. I am comfortable working alone or as part of a team, and I have the ability to effectively manage a variety of tasks simultaneously. I am also adept at following procedures and protocols, and I have a strong commitment to safety and security.

I am confident that I am the ideal candidate for the role of Experienced Security Officer, and I am excited at the prospect of joining your team. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about my background or qualifications. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely, [Your Name]

Why Do you Need a Experienced Security Officer Cover Letter?

  • A Experienced Security Officer cover letter is essential when applying for a job in the security field.
  • It provides an employer with an understanding of the applicant's skills, qualifications, and experience.
  • The cover letter should also explain the applicant's commitment to security and safety, as well as their experience in working with law enforcement, emergency services, and other security personnel.
  • A Experienced Security Officer cover letter should also demonstrate the applicant's knowledge of security technology, such as access control systems, CCTV, and other security systems.
  • The cover letter should also demonstrate the applicant's ability to handle difficult and unexpected situations, as well as their ability to work in a team environment.
  • Finally, the cover letter should highlight the applicant's enthusiasm and dedication to the security field.

A Few Important Rules To Keep In Mind

  • Keep your cover letter to one page in length.
  • Start with a professional greeting and introduce yourself.
  • Explain your interest in the role and why you are the right candidate.
  • Highlight your qualifications, work experience, and any special certifications.
  • Address any special skills or knowledge that you have related to security.
  • Include details about your ability to work with others, solve problems, and handle unexpected situations.
  • Conclude your letter by thanking the employer for their time and expressing your interest in the position.
  • Proofread your cover letter to ensure accuracy.

What's The Best Structure For Experienced Security Officer Cover Letters?

After creating an impressive Experienced Security Officer resume , the next step is crafting a compelling cover letter to accompany your job applications. It's essential to remember that your cover letter should maintain a formal tone and follow a recommended structure. But what exactly does this structure entail, and what key elements should be included in a Experienced Security Officer cover letter? Let's explore the guidelines and components that will make your cover letter stand out.

Key Components For Experienced Security Officer Cover Letters:

  • Your contact information, including the date of writing
  • The recipient's details, such as the company's name and the name of the addressee
  • A professional greeting or salutation, like "Dear Mr. Levi,"
  • An attention-grabbing opening statement to captivate the reader's interest
  • A concise paragraph explaining why you are an excellent fit for the role
  • Another paragraph highlighting why the position aligns with your career goals and aspirations
  • A closing statement that reinforces your enthusiasm and suitability for the role
  • A complimentary closing, such as "Regards" or "Sincerely," followed by your name
  • An optional postscript (P.S.) to add a brief, impactful note or mention any additional relevant information.

Cover Letter Header

A header in a cover letter should typically include the following information:

  • Your Full Name: Begin with your first and last name, written in a clear and legible format.
  • Contact Information: Include your phone number, email address, and optionally, your mailing address. Providing multiple methods of contact ensures that the hiring manager can reach you easily.
  • Date: Add the date on which you are writing the cover letter. This helps establish the timeline of your application.

It's important to place the header at the top of the cover letter, aligning it to the left or center of the page. This ensures that the reader can quickly identify your contact details and know when the cover letter was written.

Cover Letter Greeting / Salutation

A greeting in a cover letter should contain the following elements:

  • Personalized Salutation: Address the hiring manager or the specific recipient of the cover letter by their name. If the name is not mentioned in the job posting or you are unsure about the recipient's name, it's acceptable to use a general salutation such as "Dear Hiring Manager" or "Dear [Company Name] Recruiting Team."
  • Professional Tone: Maintain a formal and respectful tone throughout the greeting. Avoid using overly casual language or informal expressions.
  • Correct Spelling and Title: Double-check the spelling of the recipient's name and ensure that you use the appropriate title (e.g., Mr., Ms., Dr., or Professor) if applicable. This shows attention to detail and professionalism.

For example, a suitable greeting could be "Dear Ms. Johnson," or "Dear Hiring Manager," depending on the information available. It's important to tailor the greeting to the specific recipient to create a personalized and professional tone for your cover letter.

Cover Letter Introduction

An introduction for a cover letter should capture the reader's attention and provide a brief overview of your background and interest in the position. Here's how an effective introduction should look:

  • Opening Statement: Start with a strong opening sentence that immediately grabs the reader's attention. Consider mentioning your enthusiasm for the job opportunity or any specific aspect of the company or organization that sparked your interest.
  • Brief Introduction: Provide a concise introduction of yourself and mention the specific position you are applying for. Include any relevant background information, such as your current role, educational background, or notable achievements that are directly related to the position.
  • Connection to the Company: Demonstrate your knowledge of the company or organization and establish a connection between your skills and experiences with their mission, values, or industry. Showcasing your understanding and alignment with their goals helps to emphasize your fit for the role.
  • Engaging Hook: Consider including a compelling sentence or two that highlights your unique selling points or key qualifications that make you stand out from other candidates. This can be a specific accomplishment, a relevant skill, or an experience that demonstrates your value as a potential employee.
  • Transition to the Body: Conclude the introduction by smoothly transitioning to the main body of the cover letter, where you will provide more detailed information about your qualifications, experiences, and how they align with the requirements of the position.

By following these guidelines, your cover letter introduction will make a strong first impression and set the stage for the rest of your application.

Cover Letter Body

The cover letter body for a professional security officer should typically include the following:

  • A brief introduction, outlining relevant experience and qualifications.
  • A description of the job role and the security officer’s responsibilities.
  • A summary of the skills, knowledge, and abilities that the security officer brings to the job.
  • A statement of the security officer’s commitment to the safety and security of the organization.
  • An explanation of the security officer’s understanding of the organization’s security policies and procedures.
  • A statement of the security officer’s willingness to learn and adapt as necessary.
  • A description of any additional training or certifications the security officer may have.
  • An expression of the security officer’s interest in the position and an invitation for a follow-up interview.

As a professional security officer, I have extensive experience in a variety of security roles. I am a highly organized and detail-oriented individual who is able to consistently maintain a secure environment. I am adept at identifying potential security risks and responding quickly and effectively to any security incidents. I am also well-versed in the security policies and procedures of an organization, and I am able to implement them in order to ensure the safety and security of the premises.

I am committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment, and I am eager to learn and adapt to any new security protocols or procedures. I have experience in both armed and unarmed security, as well as in the use of various security systems and equipment. I am also certified in first aid and CPR, and I have the knowledge and skills necessary to respond quickly and effectively to any medical emergencies. In addition, I have completed additional training in crisis management, disaster preparedness, and workplace security.

I am confident that my experience and qualifications make me an ideal candidate for the position of Security Officer. I am excited about the opportunity to join your team and I am available for a follow-up interview at your convenience. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Complimentary Close

The conclusion and signature of a cover letter provide a final opportunity to leave a positive impression and invite further action. Here's how the conclusion and signature of a cover letter should look:

  • Summary of Interest: In the conclusion paragraph, summarize your interest in the position and reiterate your enthusiasm for the opportunity to contribute to the organization or school. Emphasize the value you can bring to the role and briefly mention your key qualifications or unique selling points.
  • Appreciation and Gratitude: Express appreciation for the reader's time and consideration in reviewing your application. Thank them for the opportunity to be considered for the position and acknowledge any additional materials or documents you have included, such as references or a portfolio.
  • Call to Action: Conclude the cover letter with a clear call to action. Indicate your availability for an interview or express your interest in discussing the opportunity further. Encourage the reader to contact you to schedule a meeting or provide any additional information they may require.
  • Complimentary Closing: Choose a professional and appropriate complimentary closing to end your cover letter, such as "Sincerely," "Best Regards," or "Thank you." Ensure the closing reflects the overall tone and formality of the letter.
  • Signature: Below the complimentary closing, leave space for your handwritten signature. Sign your name in ink using a legible and professional style. If you are submitting a digital or typed cover letter, you can simply type your full name.
  • Typed Name: Beneath your signature, type your full name in a clear and readable font. This allows for easy identification and ensures clarity in case the handwritten signature is not clear.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Writing an Experienced Security Officer Cover Letter

When crafting a cover letter, it's essential to present yourself in the best possible light to potential employers. However, there are common mistakes that can hinder your chances of making a strong impression. By being aware of these pitfalls and avoiding them, you can ensure that your cover letter effectively highlights your qualifications and stands out from the competition. In this article, we will explore some of the most common mistakes to avoid when writing a cover letter, providing you with valuable insights and practical tips to help you create a compelling and impactful introduction that captures the attention of hiring managers. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your career journey, understanding these mistakes will greatly enhance your chances of success in the job application process. So, let's dive in and discover how to steer clear of these common missteps and create a standout cover letter that gets you noticed by potential employers.

  • Using a generic or old-fashioned cover letter format
  • Using an overly casual or unprofessional tone
  • Failing to customize the cover letter for the position
  • Using cliches, jargon, or overly technical language
  • Focusing too much on your qualifications and not enough on how you can help the company
  • Making spelling and grammar mistakes
  • Including irrelevant or outdated information
  • Using too many "I" statements
  • Not providing enough specifics about your experience
  • Rambling on too long
  • Failing to follow the employer’s instructions for submitting the cover letter

Key Takeaways For an Experienced Security Officer Cover Letter

  • Highlight any security certifications or training held.
  • Mention any prior experience in similar positions.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the position’s requirements.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of security protocols.
  • Show an ability to remain alert and proactive in times of crisis.
  • Emphasize strong communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Highlight any experience in teamwork or working with diverse groups.
  • Discuss any specialized skills related to the security industry.
  • Describe an ability to work independently and take initiative.
  • Discuss any relevant experience in emergency response.
  • Highlight any experience in responding to security breaches.

Create Cover Letter

WTO / Letters and Emails / Cover Letters / Best Security Guard Cover Letter Examples – No Experience

Best Security Guard Cover Letter Examples – No Experience

A Security Guard Cover Letter is a document used by security guards to communicate their skills, experience, references, and the value they bring to a potential employer.

The letter is written to illustrate an applicant’s suitability for a security guard position by outlining the applicant’s academic, and professional qualifications and work experience .

Residential security guards help protect and safeguard households and their properties. They are not only alert but also actively follow the set instructions and procedures. Some of the main duties include patrolling around and within the residential premises to ensure everything is in order. Also, residential security guards are charged with the responsibility of recording details of daily activities in the occurrence book. The majority of employers do look for bondable and certified individuals for this post. The guards must always know how to speak and write well for easy communication. Besides, they must be well conversant with modern security systems such as surveillance computers and videos.

What’s more, employers also look for honest, responsible individuals who are focused on maintaining their role as residential guards effectively. Last but not least, most employers also focus on physical fitness. Those candidates who are healthy and physically fit do stand a higher chance of getting a residential security guard. It makes the guard capable of dealing with any threat or situation. As such, the candidates should always be strong enough to restrain a criminal or suspect until the police arrive. Therefore, if you wish to join this profession, make sure you have the qualities mentioned above, and outline them in your cover letter for the employer to get more insight.

Free Templates

Great Residential Security Guard Cover Letter Sample 01 for Word Document

Types of Security Guard Cover Letter

These cover letters can be categorized depending on the type of security guard job. The following are different types of cover letters.  

Residential security guard cover letter

Residential security cover letters are meant for security guards who offer protection to private residences (residential homes). These jobs heavily depend on experience because previous employers cannot be referenced due to confidentiality agreements . This type of cover letter will then focus on the guard’s experience in the industry.

Sample letter

Dear Mr. Reynolds,

I am writing to express my keen interest in the Security Guard position at Pine Grove Residences, as advertised on your website. With over six years of experience in security operations, including extensive work in residential security settings, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to the safety and well-being of the Pine Grove community.

Throughout my career, I have honed my skills in surveillance, access control, conflict resolution, and emergency response, all of which are critical in a residential security setting. My recent position at Harmony Living Complex in Atlanta allowed me to develop a keen sense of community awareness and foster a safe living environment for residents. I successfully implemented security measures that resulted in a 25% decrease in security incidents over two years, a testament to my proactive approach and attention to detail.

I am particularly drawn to the Security Guard role at Pine Grove Residences because of your commitment to creating a secure and welcoming environment for all residents. I share this commitment and believe that my background in residential security, coupled with my strong interpersonal skills, makes me a perfect fit for this position. I am adept at building rapport with residents while maintaining a vigilant eye on their safety, ensuring that security protocols enhance their living experience rather than intrude upon it.

My certifications in CPR, First Aid, and advanced security training, along with a solid understanding of the latest security technologies, prepare me to meet the unique challenges of securing Pine Grove Residences. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to bring my expertise in security planning, risk assessment , and resident engagement to your team.

I am looking forward to the possibility of discussing this exciting opportunity with you further. I am available at your convenience for an interview and can be reached at 404-555-1234 or via email at [email protected]. Thank you for considering my application. I am eager to contribute to the continued safety and satisfaction of the Pine Grove Residences community.

Warmest regards,

Julia Sanchez

Corporate security guard cover letter

These are submitted to HR when guards are applying for security jobs in corporate organizations such as banks, warehouses, and insurance companies. They highlight previous employers. Well-known employers add weight to the cover letter. 

sample letter

Dear Ms. Green,

I am reaching out to express my interest in the Security Guard position at Orlando Shopping Center, as advertised on Indeed. With a robust background in retail security and loss prevention, I bring over eight years of experience in creating and maintaining a secure shopping environment for both customers and staff.

At Premier Retail Outlets, I spearheaded a loss prevention initiative that resulted in a 30% reduction in shrinkage within the first year of implementation. My ability to work closely with store management and law enforcement has been key to my success in identifying and mitigating potential security risks before they escalate.

Orlando Shopping Center’s reputation for a family-friendly shopping experience is something I deeply admire. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to contribute to this environment by leveraging my expertise in surveillance, crowd management, and emergency response procedures.

Thank you for considering my application. I am eager to discuss how my background in retail security can support the Orlando Shopping Center in ensuring a safe, enjoyable shopping experience for all visitors. I look forward to the possibility of joining your team.

Best regards,

Carlos Martinez

Government security guard cover letter

It will typically outline the applicant’s experience and skills without referring to specific government offices, duties, and locations. This limitation is often due to legal constraints. Most, if not all, government offices require protection.

Examples include law courts, head offices, state buildings, etc.

Dear Mr. Jefferson,

I am writing to express my keen interest in the Security Guard position advertised for the Department of Government Facilities Security, as listed on the official government employment portal. With a solid background in law enforcement and specialized training in security operations, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to the safety and integrity of our nation’s government buildings.

My professional journey over the last eight years has equipped me with a profound understanding of security protocols, surveillance techniques, and emergency response management, particularly in sensitive and high-stakes environments. As a former police officer with the Metropolitan Police Department, I have gained invaluable experience in risk assessment , crowd control, and the implementation of strategic security measures to protect property and personnel.

I am particularly drawn to this role because of its emphasis on safeguarding the premises that are central to our nation’s governance and public service. My commitment to upholding the highest standards of security is driven by a deep respect for the institutions that shape our society and the people who serve within them. I am adept at working in collaboration with law enforcement agencies and possess a clear understanding of the federal regulations and guidelines that govern security operations in government facilities.

In addition to my professional qualifications, I am a certified First Responder and have completed advanced training in counter-terrorism tactics, reinforcing my capability to respond effectively to a wide range of security scenarios. My proactive approach to security management, combined with my ability to remain calm under pressure, positions me as a strong candidate for this role.

I am enthusiastic about the possibility of bringing my expertise in security and law enforcement to the Department of Government Facilities Security. I am keen to discuss how my background, skills, and certifications align with the needs of your team. I am available at your convenience for an interview and can be reached at the phone number or email address provided above.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the security and safety of our government facilities.

Samantha Harper

Personal security guard cover letter

Personal security guards offer protection to individual people, such as CEOs, business owners, etc. More often than not, the personal security guard will be part of a larger contractor agency. It then focuses on the personal skills of the applicant.

Dear Mr. Hamilton,

I am writing to express my interest in the position of Personal Security Guard, as mentioned in your recent advertisement. With a comprehensive background in personal protection services and a commitment to high-standard security protocols, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to the safety and well-being of you and your family.

Over the past ten years, I have dedicated myself to the field of personal security, providing services for high-profile clients in various settings. My expertise encompasses risk assessment, close protection, secure transportation, and emergency response. One of my key achievements includes developing and implementing a personalized security plan for a high-profile client, which significantly minimized security risks and ensured the client’s safety during international travels.

My approach to personal security is centered on discretion, vigilance, and preparedness. I believe in proactive planning and clear communication to efficiently manage potential threats without disrupting the personal lives of my clients. My training in self-defense, first aid, and crisis management, combined with my ability to quickly adapt to changing environments, equips me to offer the highest level of protection.

I am particularly drawn to this role because of its emphasis on providing a secure and comfortable environment for families. I understand the unique challenges that come with securing private residences and ensuring the safety of family members, especially in high-visibility situations. My goal is to create a secure atmosphere where you can live without concern for your personal safety.

I am keen to bring my skills in strategic security planning and execution to your residence. I am looking forward to the opportunity to discuss in detail how I can meet your personal security needs. Please find my resume attached for your consideration. I am available at your convenience for an interview and can be reached directly at the phone number or email address above.

Thank you for considering my application. I am eager to contribute to your peace of mind as your Personal Security Guard.

Dominic Torres

How to Write a Security Guard Cover Letter

The cover letter is meant to give the recruiter insight into how the applicant works when it comes to protecting residences and the sort of person the residence-owner will be entrusting their home and personal valuables. The contents of the cover letter should then major on the applicant’s personality and experience interchangeably. To effectively do this, below are the steps you can use to ensure the letter effectively markets you to the recruiter while addressing all the key points. 

The first item to write is the header of the letter. It is expected to illustrate a certain level of professionalism by introducing the applicant and identifying the recipient directly. This is information every recruiter wants to see. Ensure the following information is provided.

Include your personal information

Indicate your full official name and state the position you are applying for; security guard. Follow this up with contact details and the city and state where you are located. Contact details can include a valid phone number and/or email address. Always use a professionally named email address. This information clears up any doubts about who the applicant is.

City and date

Next, state the city where you are located and the date when the cover letter was created. Location can be given by providing a personal mailing address. The date should be specific – show the day, month, and year.  

Hiring manager’s details

The hiring manager or recruiter, should then be identified. State their official name; this will sometimes require a bit of research. Some residential homes are run by house managers, who might be responsible for hiring security guards. So, do not assume the owner is the recruiter. After the name, indicate the recruiter’s position (used when it is someone other than the residence owner) and indicate the residence name and mailing address. Ensure that this information is accurate. 

Section 2: Introduction

The next section you should write is the introduction to the cover letter. The introduction is characterized by the following elements;

Salutation/greetings note

Provide a specific salutation to the recruiter. Address them accordingly (Mr., Mrs., Dear Sir/madam), and do not use generic salutations such as “ To Whom It May Concern .” Attention to detail is key in the security sector. Getting the salutation right might seem like a tiny detail, but it creates an impression.

Briefly introduce yourself

Recruiters want to know immediately who the applicant is and the position they are applying for. Go directly to the point and outline the services and value you are going to offer if selected.

State your specialty (residential security guard, personal security guard, or corporate security guard) and years of experience. 

Indicate that you meet the requirements

Review the job description and align the introduction with it. Getting the introduction wrong might result in the cover letter being dismissed if, after all, the recruiter sees you are not offering something they are looking for.

Mention that you’re the most suitable candidate

Let the introduction state that you are the best person for the job, and the contents of the letter will support this claim. It doesn’t hurt to declare your excitement for the job and how it aligns with your personal goals. Keep the introduction short—three sentences at most. 

When thinking of what to include in the introduction, think of the one reason why the recruiter should hire you.

Section 3: Body

The next step is writing the body. This section is meant to have more depth in reassuring the recruiter that you are suitable for the job. This is the applicant’s opportunity to separate themselves from other candidates for the job.

To do this, ensure to address the following information.

Highlight your training

By referring to the job description, highlight how the training you’ve had helps you meet the requirements and carry out the duties and responsibilities stipulated. Indicate any licenses and formal training you have. Residential homeowners are typically well-up individuals, and they will be looking for qualified security guards. Use this opportunity to show you have the necessary documentation like a Security Industry Authority license required to be a residential security guard.

State your past experiences

Mention previous security jobs you’ve done that contributed to the qualified security guard you are. This information can be put in a sentence or a list of previous.

Match your skills with job requirements

Again, refer to the job description provided by the recruiter and identify the duties and responsibilities the security guard will be assigned in the residential home. Use this information to outline the skills you possess and how they help you carry out your duties. The skills should resemble the skills listed in the resume; however, the security guard cover explains the relevance of the skills.

Below are examples of security guard skills worth considering.

  • Physical fitness and stamina
  • Observant and investigative nature
  • Knowledge of security procedures
  • Being available to work in shifts
  • Effective communication
  • Problem-solving orientation
  • Discipline and being able to ignore distractions
  • Confidentiality and integrity
  • Professionalism

Discuss most recent job and responsibilities

Next, the applicant ought to discuss their current or recent job responsibilities in a few sentences. If you haven’t worked as a residential security guard, do not be alarmed; the responsibilities can cross over from one type of security job to another in most cases. Additionally, this information is used by recruiters to get a picture of the applicant’s abilities and capabilities. You can also choose to declare how your contribution impacted your last employer.

Showcase your biggest accomplishments

To close off the body of the security cover letter , outline one or two relevant accomplishments in your security career in brief. Be precise.

We introduced biometric log-in systems in the last residence and mentioned promos, awards, and special recognitions. Be unique and provide accomplishments that set you apart from the flock.

The entire body of the letter can be made to be one to two paragraphs long.

Section 4: Conclusion

Lastly, the applicant should conclude the cover letter. The information outlined below should be included in the conclusion.

End with a strong closing statement

Write the first part of the conclusion to reflect a sense of reliability and trust. Reiterate that you are the best candidate to hire, and the information given in the cover letter can be used as evidence to this effect. You can also include the reason why you want to work at the specific residence or your motivation as a security guard.

Call to action

Next, indicate that you would be honored if you got the job, and you’ll be looking forward to their response. Include contact details like a personal phone number or an email the recruiter can use to reach you. You can invite the recruiter to invite you for an interview at this point.

Then thank the recruiter for reviewing your cover letter. Use a formal and professional tone.

Lastly, sign off the cover letter with a complimentary close, signature, and full name.

Tips for Writing a Good Cover Letter

A good security cover letter can have a major impact on getting you the security guard job. Any applicant should be aiming to write the best cover letter possible.

The following tips can assist you in crafting a worthwhile cover letter.   

Do some research

Research the potential employer/recruiter. Try to include this information throughout the letter so that you make a good first impression on your employer.

Use bullets

Where possible, use bullet points to make a reader-friendly cover letter. Skills and qualifications are examples of information that can be bulleted.

Be precise throughout the letter. Do not leave the recruiter wondering what you meant. Do not be generic when listing skills, qualifications, and responsibilities.

Review your letter

A cover letter with consistent spelling and grammar errors can cost you the job opportunity. A security guard is expected to be attentive to details; an error-filled cover letter is an implication of the exact opposite.  

Security Guard Job Cover Letter Template

[Your Name]

[Your Address]

[City, State, Zip Code]

[Phone Number]

[Email Address]

[LinkedIn Profile (optional)]

[Hiring Manager’s Name]

[Hiring Manager’s Title]

[Company’s Name]

[Company’s Address]

Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],

I am writing to express my strong interest in the Security Guard position at [Company’s Name], as advertised on [where you found the job listing]. With [X years] of experience in security and law enforcement roles, I bring a comprehensive set of skills and a commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment for both employees and property. My background includes [briefly mention your relevant experience], making me well-equipped to meet the challenges of this role.

In my previous position at [Previous Employer’s Name], I successfully [mention any significant achievements, such as reduced security incidents], which I achieved through vigilant monitoring, quick decision-making, and a proactive approach to addressing potential security threats. My ability to work effectively under pressure and maintain a high level of professionalism during critical situations has been key to my success in the security field.

I am particularly drawn to the opportunity at [Company’s Name] because of [mention something you admire about the company or how you align with its values or goals]. I am eager to bring my expertise in [mention specific skills or areas, such as surveillance technology or emergency response] to your team, contributing to [Company’s Name]’s reputation as a safe and secure establishment.

My certifications in [list any relevant certifications, such as First Aid, CPR, or specific security training programs], along with my ongoing commitment to professional development, ensure that I stay current with the latest security practices and technologies. I am confident in my ability to serve as a vigilant, trustworthy, and efficient Security Guard, dedicated to safeguarding the interests of [Company’s Name] and its stakeholders.

I am looking forward to the opportunity to discuss how my background, skills, and enthusiasms can contribute to the safety and security goals of [Company’s Name]. I am available at your convenience for an interview and can be reached at [Your Phone Number] or via email at [Your Email Address]. Thank you for considering my application. I am eager to bring my strong work ethic and proven track record to your team.

Sample Security Guard Cover Letters

Following are some samples given:

Sample Letter 1

Dear Ms. Doe,

I am writing to express my interest in the Corporate Security Guard position at Global Tech Innovations, as advertised on LinkedIn. With over five years of experience in high-security environments, including financial institutions and technology firms, I am adept at addressing security concerns that are unique to corporate settings.

At my current position with SecureTech Solutions, I played a pivotal role in developing and implementing security protocols that reduced security breaches by 40% within the first year. My experience has honed my skills in surveillance systems, access control procedures, and emergency response coordination. I am particularly proud of my track record in training staff on security awareness, significantly enhancing the overall security posture of the facilities I’ve been entrusted to protect.

Global Tech Innovations’ commitment to innovation and security impresses me, and I am eager to contribute to your team by ensuring a safe and secure work environment . I am confident that my proactive approach to security and risk management will be a valuable asset to your company.

Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my background, skills, and certifications (including CPR and First Aid) can meet the security needs of Global Tech Innovations. I am available at your convenience for an interview.

Aiden Clark

Sample Letter 2

Dear Mr. Smith,

I am excited to apply for the Night Shift Security Guard position at Seattle General Hospital, as listed on your hospital’s careers page. With over seven years of experience in security, including extensive experience in healthcare settings, I understand the unique challenges and responsibilities that come with ensuring the safety of patients, staff, and visitors during the night.

During my tenure at City Hospital, I was instrumental in developing a visitor verification system that significantly improved patient safety and privacy. My calm demeanor and quick thinking have been crucial in managing emergency situations and de-escalating potential threats, ensuring minimal disruption to hospital operations.

The compassionate care and community commitment demonstrated by Seattle General Hospital resonate with my personal and professional values. I am keen to bring my vigilant eye, empathetic approach, and strong communication skills to your security team, contributing to a safe and welcoming environment for all.

I appreciate your consideration of my application. I am looking forward to discussing how my experiences align with the security goals of Seattle General Hospital. Please feel free to contact me to arrange an interview.

Warm regards,

Brianna Lee

Do’s and Don’ts of Writing a Security Guard Cover Letter

Observe the following do’s and don’ts when writing the cover letter:

  • Don’t just rewrite your resume in a letter for: A cover letter is meant to supplement the resume. While a resume is a summary of an applicant, a cover letter is an opportunity for any applicant to defend themselves and illustrate their suitability for a position in detail.
  • Don’t get too worked up over the one-page cover letter rule: As much as a short cover letter is recommended, do not limit yourself to one page. If the information does not exhaustively fit on one page, consider making a two-page cover letter.
  • Do choose your skills to be highlighted wisely: When outlining your skills, choose relevant skills only. Pay attention to the job description to identify which skills are relevant to the description.
  • Do include an ‘objective’ or summary: Include a summary or objective that outlines personal goals and objectives and provides a brief overview of your security guard career. 

Frequently Asked Questions

A typical cover letter should have a header, salutation, introduction, skills, experience, and qualifications, a call to action, and a professional signature.

The cover letter should preferably be one page long. However, this recommendation is not mandatory. The letter should be long enough to serve its purpose – illustrate the applicant’s suitability.

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5 Professional Security Officer Cover Letter Examples for 2024

Your security officer cover letter should instantly grab the hiring manager's attention. Highlight your vigilance and commitment to security protocols from the get-go. In the second paragraph, showcase your experience with security technologies and crisis management skills. Make them confident in your ability to protect and serve their organization's needs.

All cover letter examples in this guide

security officer application letter pdf

Entry-Level Security Officer

security officer application letter pdf

Corporate Security Officer

security officer application letter pdf

Protective Security Officer

security officer application letter pdf

Security Field Officer

Cover letter guide.

Security Officer Cover Letter Sample

Cover Letter Format

Cover Letter Salutation

Cover Letter Introduction

Cover Letter Body

Cover Letter Closing

No Experience Security Officer Cover Letter

Key Takeaways

By Experience

Security Officer cover letter

Writing a security officer cover letter can be a daunting task. You've found the perfect job and realized a compelling cover letter is required, not just your resume. It's crucial to narrate your proudest professional achievement without repeating your CV. Striking a balance between formality and originality, while dodging clichés, makes for a powerful introduction. Remember, brevity is key—keep it to one page to make a strong, succinct impression. Let's dive in and craft a cover letter that stands out.

  • Making excellent use of job-winning real-life professional cover letters;
  • Writing the first paragraphs of your security officer cover letter to get attention and connect with the recruiters - immediately;
  • Single out your most noteworthy achievement (even if it's outside your career);
  • Get a better understanding of what you must include in your security officer cover letter to land the job.

Let the power of Enhancv's AI work for you: create your security officer cover letter by uploading your resume.

If the security officer isn't exactly the one you're looking for we have a plethora of cover letter examples for jobs like this one:

  • Security Officer resume guide and example
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  • Entry-Level Police Officer cover letter example
  • Volunteer Firefighter cover letter example
  • Investigator cover letter example
  • Case Manager cover letter example
  • Emergency Dispatcher cover letter example
  • Law Enforcement cover letter example
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  • Incident Manager cover letter example
  • 911 Dispatcher cover letter example

Security Officer cover letter example

John Walker

Fort Worth, Texas

+1-(234)-555-1234

[email protected]

  • Emphasizing practical achievements, such as the development and execution of security plans and the implementation of a new alarm response system, demonstrates the applicant's direct impact on operational improvements within security management.
  • Mentioning a collaboration with federal agencies in refining threat assessment protocols showcases the candidate's ability to work with government bodies and manage insider threat scenarios, which is crucial for high-level security operations positions.
  • Highlighting a quantifiable outcome, such as achieving a 40% reduction in false alarm rates, provides concrete proof of the candidate's effectiveness in their role and suggests a data-driven approach to security operations.

Designing your security officer cover letter: what is the best format

Let's start with the basics, your security officer cover letter should include your:

  • Introduction
  • Body paragraph
  • Closing statement
  • Signature (that's not a must)

Next, we'll move to the spacing of your security officer cover letter, and yes, it should be single-spaced ( automatically formatted for you in our cover letter templates ).

Don't go for a old-school font (e.g. Arial or Times New Roman), but instead, pick an ATS-favorite like Chivo, Volkhov, or Raleway, to stand out.

Our cover letter builder is also set up for you with the standard one-inch margin, all around the text.

Finally, ensure your security officer resume and cover letter are in the same font and are submitted in PDF (to keep the formatting in place).

P.S. The Applicant Tracker System (or ATS) won't be assessing your [job] cover letter, it's solely for the recruiters' eyes.

The top sections on a security officer cover letter

  • Header: Include your contact information and the date to ensure the recruiter knows who you are and how to reach you, which is critical in a profession where reliability and attention to detail are paramount.
  • Greeting: Use a professional salutation, addressing the hiring manager by name if possible, as it demonstrates your investigation and interpersonal skills, both of which are important in security-related positions.
  • Introduction: Briefly introduce yourself and express your enthusiasm for the security officer role; this sets the tone and shows your commitment to the safety and security profession.
  • Body: Highlight relevant experience, such as specific security tasks you've performed or emergency situations you've handled, to showcase your competence and readiness for the responsibilities of a security officer.
  • Closing: End with a strong conclusion, reiterating your interest in the role and mentioning your availability for an interview, while emphasizing your commitment to maintaining a secure environment, indicative of a dedicated security professional.

Key qualities recruiters search for in a candidate’s cover letter

  • Proven experience in surveillance systems and emergency response protocols: critical for preventing and responding to incidents effectively.
  • Strong observational skills: essential for identifying suspicious behavior and preventing potential security breaches.
  • Physical fitness and stamina: necessary for patrolling premises, responding to incidents swiftly, and potentially diffusing physical altercations.
  • Excellent communication and reporting skills: important for writing detailed incident reports and communicating with law enforcement and emergency personnel.
  • Knowledge of relevant laws and regulations: ensures compliance with legal standards and helps in handling situations according to the law.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team: required for coordinating effectively with other security personnel and staff members to maintain a secure environment.

How to start your security officer cover letter: with a greeting, of course

Have you ever considered just how powerful a personalized salutation can be?

We sure have news for you! Your security officer cover letter should start with the right salutation to recruiters, nurturing a sense of respect and individuality.

Greet recruiters by using their first name (e.g. "Dear Tom" or "Dear Patricia") if you've previously established contact with them.

Otherwise, opt out for the less familiar, "Dear Ms. Peaches" or "Dear Ms Kelsey", if you've found the recruiter's name on LinkedIn or a corporate website.

"To whom it may concern" is never a good option, as it creates a sense that you've been sending out your security officer cover letter to anyone. Instead, use "Dear HR team" or "Dear (company name) recruiter" for a feeling of exclusivity.

List of salutations you can use

  • Dear Hiring Manager,
  • Dear [Company Name] Team,
  • Dear [Mr./Ms./Dr.] [Last Name],
  • Dear Search Committee,
  • Dear Human Resources Director,
  • Dear [Job Title] Hiring Team,

The security officer cover letter introduction: focusing on your unique value, with a creative twist

You are not the only one wondering how to start your security officer cover letter. Those first two sentences introduce your profile and should be memorable.

No pressure.

When beginning your security officer cover letter , immediately point out the unique value of working with you. In other words, what you promise to bring to the role by using your past track record of success.

Start your security officer cover letter with a creative twist by telling a joke or stating something relatable. Select this type of introduction only if it aligns with the company culture.

What comes next: your security officer cover letter middle paragraphs

In the next three to six paragraphs (or the body of your security officer cover letter) you have to prove your unique value .

Most candidates tend to mess up at this stage. They tend to just copy-paste information from their resume.

That's one big no-no.

Remember that when writing your security officer cover letter, it has to be personalized. And, your ultimate aim is to catch the recruiter's eye.

So, look back on key job requirements and write down a list that includes the ones you cover.

Next, select just one key achievement from your professional (or personal) history that meets those advert keywords.

Narrate a story around how you've grown your skill set and knowledge. Also, aim to show the unique understanding or soft skills you bring about, thanks to your past success.

Closing paragraph basics: choose between a promise and a call to action

You've done all the hard work - congratulations! You've almost reached the end of your security officer cover letter .

But how do you ensure recruiters, who have read your application this far, remember you?

Most security officer professionals end their cover letter with a promise - hinting at their potential and what they plan on achieving if they're hired.

Another option would be to include a call for follow-up, where you remind recruiters that you're very interested in the opportunity (and look forward to hearing from them, soon).

Choose to close your security officer cover letter in the way that best fits your personality.

No experience security officer cover letter: making the most out of your profile

Candidates who happen to have no professional experience use their security officer cover letter to stand out.

Instead of focusing on a professional achievement, aim to quantify all the relevant, transferrable skills from your life experience.

Once again, the best practice to do so would be to select an accomplishment - from your whole career history.

Another option would be to plan out your career goals and objectives: how do you see yourself growing, as a professional, in the next five years, thanks to this opportunity?

Be precise and concise about your dreams, and align them with the company vision.

Key takeaways

Winning at your job application game starts with a clear and concise security officer cover letter that:

  • Has single-spaced paragraphs, is wrapped in a one-inch margin, and uses the same font as the security officer resume;
  • Is personalized to the recruiter (using their name in the greeting) and the role (focusing on your one key achievement that answers job requirements);
  • Includes an introduction that helps you stand out and show what value you'd bring to the company;
  • Substitutes your lack of experience with an outside-of-work success, that has taught you valuable skills;
  • Ends with a call for follow-up or hints at how you'd improve the organization, team, or role.

Security Officer cover letter examples

Explore additional security officer cover letter samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.

Entry Level Security Officer Resume Example

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  • Content tailored to the job posting you're applying for
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Cover Letters and Resume Samples

Security Guard Cover Letter No Experience: 2 Examples & Tips

When applying for an entry-level security guard job, having no prior experience may seem like a challenge. However, it’s important to remember that lack of experience does not disqualify you from the position. By showcasing your willingness to receive training and your understanding of the work, you can still be a strong candidate.

One crucial aspect of your application is a well-crafted cover letter. In this cover letter, you should emphasize your knowledge of protecting grounds, buildings, and people, as well as your physical dexterity and ability to conduct inspections and checks. It’s essential to align your skills and knowledge with the security guard job description provided by the recruiter.

To help you get started, here are two examples of cover letters for an entry-level security guard role. These examples can serve as a guide as you craft your own compelling cover letter. Remember, with the right approach and a well-articulated letter, you can demonstrate your suitability for the position.

Security Guard Cover Letter No Experience Page Image

Security Guard Cover Letter with No Experience (Example 1)

Jason Trapp (000) 479-9785 [email protected]

August 27, 2023

Mr. Bruce Williams Human Resources Manager [Company Name] 764 Otter Road New York City, NY 29743

Dear Mr. Williams:

As a diligent and vigilant individual, I am excited to work [Company Name] in the capacity of a security guard. Owing to my passion for working as a security guard, coupled with my current combat training, I firmly believe that I am a great candidate for this role.

As indicated in the attached resume, I am knowledgeable in performing inspections, securing premises, preventing losses, and handling violators. Specifically, I am well-versed in:

  • Securing premises and personnel by patrolling and vigilance
  • Monitoring surveillance equipment
  • Preventing losses and damages by reporting irregularities
  • Observing for signs of crime and disorder
  • Apprehending criminals and evicting violators

In view of my enthusiasm and qualifications, I believe that we should meet in person so that I can further highlight my suitability. I am available at (000) 479-9785 if you would like further information.

Thank you for your consideration.

Jason Trapp

Cover Letter for Security Guard No Experience (Sample 2)

Max McMillan 9 Algaroba Street Honolulu, HI 77722 (000) 333-8521

Mr. Jeremy Collins HR Manager Accucheck Services 8 N King Street Honolulu, HI 71222

Dear Mr. Collins:

As a passionate security guard with a current New York State Security License, I am eager to work for Accucheck Services. Because my knowledge and skills are in sync with your requirements, I feel confident that I would be able to contribute immensely.

Some of the key strengths that you may find relevant include:

  • Demonstrated ability to perform continuous rounds throughout the entire shift.
  • Knowledge of monitoring clients and the facility via security cameras, screenings, and rounds.
  • Known for resolving disputes and employing crisis prevention and intervention if a conflict occurs.
  • Able to diffuse all confrontations in a professional manner.
  • Talented in observing and reporting irregularities.

Owing to my physical and emotional stamina, I can perform activities that require continuous visual and physical effort.

I am quite excited about this opportunity and would like to discuss how I can make a significant contribution to Accucheck Services. I intend to follow up next week, hopefully, to arrange an interview.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Max McMillan

Enc. Resume

See also: Security Guard Resume No Experience

How to Write a Cover Letter for an Entry-Level Security Guard Job?

When writing a cover letter for an entry-level security guard job, it’s important to keep a few key points in mind:

1. Format your cover letter correctly:   Start with a professional header that includes your name, contact information, and the date. Address the hiring manager by name, if possible. Use a formal salutation and closing.

2. Introduce yourself and express your interest:   Begin the letter by stating your enthusiasm for the position and the company. Explain why you are interested in working as a security guard and highlight any relevant experiences or skills you have.

3. Emphasize your knowledge and skills:   In the body paragraphs, focus on showcasing your understanding of security guard duties and responsibilities. Highlight your knowledge of protecting grounds, buildings, and people. Mention your physical dexterity, ability to conduct inspections, and attention to detail.

4. Align with the job description:   Tailor your cover letter to the specific requirements and qualifications mentioned in the job description. Show how your skills and knowledge align with what the employer is seeking.

5. Demonstrate willingness to learn:   Since you are applying for an entry-level position, it is important to emphasize your willingness to receive training and your eagerness to learn. This will show the employer that you are proactive and motivated.

6. Close with a strong conclusion:   Summarize your key qualifications and express your interest in further discussing your suitability for the position. Thank the hiring manager for considering your application and include your contact information.

7. Proofread and edit:   Before sending your cover letter, make sure to review it for any grammatical or spelling errors. Ensure that the letter is clear, concise, and free of typos. Consider asking a friend or mentor to review it as well.

In conclusion, crafting a well-written cover letter is crucial when applying for an entry-level security guard job with no prior experience.

By following the tips and examples provided in this guide, you can create a compelling cover letter that highlights your enthusiasm, willingness to learn, and relevant skills and knowledge.

Remember to tailor your letter to the job description, express your interest in the company, and close with a strong conclusion.

With the right approach, you can showcase your suitability for the position and increase your chances of securing the job.

  • School Security Guard Cover Letter Sample
  • Top 10 Security Guard Resume Summary Examples (5 for Entry Level)
  • Entry Level Security Guard Resume No Experience Sample
  • Top 10 Security Guard Resume Objective Examples (+Entry Level)

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I need your help to make my application for a security guard because I looking a job to help my family n kids

I want you to write my cover letter

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Please send your cover letter and resume at proofread @ coverlettersandresume.com for a review and proofreading.

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Free Security Guard Cover Letter Sample

Working as a security guard has its pros and cons. But one of the crucial things to know is that trust and confidence is everything. You need to protect and serve, and that includes both your former employee, and your new one. Your security guard cover letter should echo the passion for the job. When writing a cover letter for security guard, people often rush to mention former employers. That is plain wrong, as confidence is essential in the industry. With that in mind, feel free to use the security guard cover letter example below, and follow the tips to make sure your application stands out of the crowd.

  • # Security Guard Cover Letter Template
  • # Security Guard Cover Letter Sample
  • # Tips for Writing Security Guard Cover Letter
  • # How to Edit Security Guard Cover Letter Template

Free Security Guard Cover Letter Template

security guard cover letter

This is a free cover letter template for security guard. Free Download and customize it according to the sample text below.

Supported formats

Explore More Free Templates >> Hot

Security Guard Cover Letter Sample (Text)

[ Date ] [ Company Address Company City, State, Hiring manager email]

Dear Mr., Mrs., or Ms. [ Hiring Manager’s Name] / Respected

I am writing to apply for the Security Office position that I saw posted on the [website]. I am confident my three plus years of experience in the field of security, along with my certifications can greatly contribute to your company.

I’ve always given my full commitment to the job I enjoy working very much. At my current position, my primary duties include observing for suspicious behavior, as well as keeping records of events. As someone who takes pride in his physical shape, my condition allows me to work on my feet for an entire shift with ease.

In my years as a security officer, I have established a relationship with local law enforcement, and my professionalism has earned me praise from local officers and current supervisors. I am sure I can bring the same level of stellar work to your company.

I have extensive knowledge of the security industry and public safety. I enjoy working with the public, and I am able to stay very calm in a difficult situation. With that in mind, I believe I meet the job requirements identified in your advert.

During my career as a security officer, I have also completed extensive training in weapons handling, patrol procedures, surveillance systems, and personal protection. I would like to highlight some of the achievements that qualify me as a strong candidate for the job.

  • Ensured safety of high-profile clients and their guests during high-risk regions of the world.
  • Ensured safety at crowded and high-profile events.
  • Implemented cutting-edge technologies to improve the security measures.
  • Conducted threat assessment with a sole purpose of mitigating risk and preventing vulnerabilities.
  • Implemented new and improved surveillance technologies, all for the improved safety and security of my clients.

Last, but not least, I believe I can bring an enthusiastic person and perspective to the position. I always take direction well, but I am very capable of working independently as well. I am enclosing my resume for your consideration as well. I believe I would be a great asset for your team, and would appreciate an opportunity to discuss in person.

Thanks for the time and consideration.

Sincerely, Your name

Tips for Writing Security Guard Cover Letter

  • Think how you can be best fit for the company, and include it somewhere within your cover letter.
  • - While you cannot name clients and former employers, describe a particular award or promotion that shows you can handle the job as a security officer.
  • While you might be inclined to mention some previous job experiences, be sure to keep them confidential, especially if you’ve signed a confidentiality agreement with previous clients.

Use a sample

Using a sample cover letter security guard will help you start if you lack inspiration. Anyone can get stuck and hit the wall when writing a cover letter. Therefore, a sample gives you instructions, guidance, and sets you on a path to writing a top notch letter.

It is important to note that there are four different options for cover letter sample security guard. It depends on which category you apply for. Residential security focuses on experiences, especially years in the industry. Corporate security focuses on larger corporations. A sample security guard cover letter for government presents challenges in listing job duties, locations, and employees. The only time you can mention employees is for personal security, as they focus on personal skills, not specific duties.

Be discreet

We mentioned this before, but we have to highlight it again. One of the first things you need to present with your cover letter is you can be trustworthy. Do not prove you are untrustworthy from the get go by revealing former company names, clients, or secrets.

Specialize in one area

You probably specialize in one area. Make sure to highlight that area. Some security guards are comfortable with surveillance systems, other with guarding tour patrol systems. Mention and highlight the area you excel in. Also, if you prefer to operate as a supervisor, make sure to state how your leadership translate to benefits for the company.

How to Edit Security Guard Cover Letter Template

It is essential to edit the cover letter template to fit your own experience and resume. Therefore, try to adopt a professional PDF editor, like Wondershare PDFelement - PDF Editor Wondershare PDFelement Wondershare PDFelement , to help you do the job. This PDF editing tool will help you customize the template and make it a personalized PDF cover letter.

sample security guard cover letter

Step 1. Open the Security Guard Cover Letter Template

cover letter sample security guarde

Step 2. Click on "Edit" and Enter Your Text as You Like

sample cover letter security guard

Step 3. Complete and Save Your Security Guard Cover Letter

sample security guard cover letter

Posted by Elise Williams to Updated: 2024-08-21 11:57:03

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  9. Security Officer Cover Letter Sample

    Mar 30, 2021. Hiring Manager's Name. 341 Company Address. Palo Alto, CA, 94301. (xxx)xxx-xxxx. [email protected]. Dear [Hiring Manager's Name], I'm an experienced security officer with a knack for enhancing safety everywhere I work. I'm excited to apply for the [Position Title] at [Company Name] and would relish the opportunity ...

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    A great security officer cover letter must illustrate your proven track record of protecting civilians, preventing security threats, and de-escalating potential conflicts. Showcase how you've leveraged your leadership skills to manage emergency situations calmly and professionally throughout your career. Our guide provides expert tips and examples to capture your strongest qualifications and ...

  11. Security Officer Cover Letter

    Security Officer Cover Letter Sample: [Full Name] [Physical Address] [Telephone Number] [Email Address] [Date] Re: Application for the position of security officer. Dear [Recipient's title and last name], I am writing to apply for the position of security officer as advertised [on/in where you saw the advertisement].

  12. Professional Security Officer Cover Letter Examples

    A strong cover letter can help your job application rise to the top of the stack. To guide you in completing this important task, we have prepared a security officer cover letter example and related dos and don'ts. Writing any document from scratch can present something of a challenge, so have a look at these resources to help you get started ...

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    Give us much detail as possible (team/department, role title etc.) and paste in the reference number if you have one. Here are some examples you can use. I am interested in applying for the role of Security Officer with your company. I would like to apply for the role of Sales assistant (Ref: 40f57393)

  14. Security Guard Cover Letter

    Use a Free Download Security Guard Cover Letter Sample for an Easy Job Application for Officer Employment. Applicants with No Experience Can Get a Recommendation and Apply for a Similar Role in a Hotel or Other Business with a Simple Doc Example in Google Docs, Word, or PDF Format.

  15. Security Officer Cover Letter Templates in PDF

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  16. Sample Security Guard Cover Letter Download Printable PDF

    Follow these steps to compose a Cover Letter for a Security Guard: Start with the header . It typically includes the full name of the job applicant and their contact details. If you submit your documentation online, insert a photo on top of the page if the job vacancy asked for it. Greet the employer and introduce yourself .

  17. Security Officer Cover Letter Examples & Samples for 2024

    Free Security Officer cover letter example. Dear Ms. Thorton: Upon learning of Blue Host Systems'need for a Security Officer, I felt compelled to submit the enclosed resume. With more than seven years of experience in maintaining optimal public and property security, I am well positioned to exceed your expectations for this position.

  18. Free Security Officer Cover Letter Samples

    Wondershare PDFelement - PDF Editor, the best PDF editor, will help you create unique PDF cover letter to attract the attention of the hiring manager. Step 1. Open the Security Officer Cover Letter Template. Step 2. Click on "Edit" and Enter Your Text as You Like.

  19. Security Officer Cover Letter Example and Template for 2024

    Here are four things to include in a cover letter for a security officer position: 1. Contact details. Make sure to include your contact information near the top of your cover letter. List details like your first and last name, the city and state in which you live, your phone number and your email address. By formatting this information in the ...

  20. Security Officer Cover Letter Examples

    Example opening paragraph for an entry-level security officer cover letter: I am writing to express my enthusiastic interest in the security officer position at [Organization Name], as advertised. I bring a genuine commitment to ensuring the safety and security of individuals and properties.

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  22. Security Guard Cover Letter Examples

    Irvine, CA 92602. Phone: 555-555-5555. E-Mail: [email protected]. Dear Mr. Powell, I am writing to express my sincere interest in the security guard opportunity at Strategic Security Corp. This role perfectly aligns with my passion for ensuring the safety and well-being of people and property.

  23. Best Security Guard Cover Letter Examples

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  24. FREE Security Officer Cover Letter Templates

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  25. 5 Professional Security Officer Cover Letter Examples for 2024

    If you possess physical fitness or self-defense training, include these as they are critical for the role. Your aim is to convey reliability and competence in ensuring safety and security. Rate my article: 5 Professional Security Officer Cover Letter Examples for 2024. Average: 4.80 / 5.00.

  26. Security Guard Cover Letter No Experience: 2 Examples & Tips

    When writing a cover letter for an entry-level security guard job, it's important to keep a few key points in mind: 1. Format your cover letter correctly: Start with a professional header that includes your name, contact information, and the date. Address the hiring manager by name, if possible.

  27. Free Security Guard Cover Letter Samples

    This PDF editing tool will help you customize the template and make it a personalized PDF cover letter. Free Download. Step 1. Open the Security Guard Cover Letter Template. Step 2. Click on "Edit" and Enter Your Text as You Like. Step 3. Complete and Save Your Security Guard Cover Letter.

  28. Security Officer Cover Letter Sample

    For writing tips, view this sample cover letter for a security officer, or download the security officer cover letter template in Word. Additionally, you can learn about security careers and look for security officer jobs on Monster. Security officer cover letter template. Stewart Madison Sometown, OH 55555 | (555) 555-5555 | [email protected]