Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance has defended his use of the term ‘illegal aliens’ to describe Haitian migrants in the United States, despite many entering through Biden administration parole programs or being protected from deportation. This stance has sparked a renewed debate over immigration policy and the use of parole programs, particularly in the context of the influx of Haitians into smaller towns like Springfield, Ohio.
Vance was challenged at a campaign event about his use of the term ‘illegal aliens’ for Haitian migrants in towns like Springfield, Ohio, when many have entered through the parole processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) or have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protecting them from deportation. Vance asserted that while the Biden administration has utilized programs like parole and TPS to grant entry or protection from deportation, these programs, in his view, do not automatically make migrants legal.
He specifically pointed to the expansion of the CHNV parole program in 2023 by the Department of Homeland Security, which allows up to 30,000 migrants from these four countries into the U.S. each month if they undergo vetting and have a sponsor in the U.S. Additionally, the Biden administration extended TPS for Haiti in 2022, offering protection from deportation and work permits to hundreds of thousands of Haitians, including those who entered the country illegally.
Republican lawmakers have taken issue with the Biden administration’s use of parole programs, arguing that Congress has limited the use of parole to a ‘case by case’ basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit. They maintain that the use of parole at such a scale is a breach of Congressional intent.
The administration, however, contends that these programs encourage legal immigration and have contributed to a substantial decrease in illegal crossings from those nationalities. They emphasize the rigorous screening and vetting process all CHNV beneficiaries undergo before entering the U.S. and highlight the significant drop in encounters with CHNV nationals between ports of entry since implementing these programs.
The debate has resurfaced amid increased attention on the influx of Haitian migrants into smaller towns like Springfield, Ohio. Both Vance and former President Trump have made unsubstantiated claims about Haitians eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. While these claims have been met with widespread criticism and mockery, they have also drawn attention to the use of parole programs. The administration recently disclosed that over 1.3 million migrants have been admitted using the CBP One app, a tool used for processing parole requests.
Vance, however, remains critical of the administration’s approach, specifically criticizing the use of TPS, which he describes as a ‘government edict saying that you’re not allowed to deport people anymore.’ He also criticizes the expansion of parole programs, arguing that granting parole to ‘millions of illegal aliens’ does not automatically make them legal.
This debate underscores the broader complexities surrounding immigration policy and the ongoing discussions about the use of parole programs, temporary protected status, and the legal status of migrants entering the United States. It also highlights the ongoing tensions between the Biden administration and Republican lawmakers over immigration policies, particularly in light of recent increases in migration at the U.S.-Mexico border and concerns over the use of parole programs.
