U.S. Government Resumes Migrant Sponsorship Program with Updated Measures

The U.S. government will restart a migrant sponsorship program that was paused due to fraud concerns. The updated measures include tighter vetting of sponsors, additional scrutiny of financial records, and mandatory fingerprints. The program, part of Biden's effort to create legal entry pathways, faces criticism ahead of the upcoming elections.

The United States government is set to resume an updated version of its migrant sponsorship program, previously halted over fraud concerns, according to a recent statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Under the new procedures, DHS will once again issue Advance Travel Authorizations while closely monitoring the updated process. This program, part of President Joe Biden's effort to increase legal pathways and reduce illegal border crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border, has drawn Republican criticism for being overly lenient.

The program grants monthly entry to up to 30,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela who have legal sponsors with sufficient financial resources. The updated measures include more stringent checks on sponsors' financial and criminal records, identification of fraudulent profiles, and the requirement of fingerprints from U.S.-based sponsors. Since its inception, 495,000 people have benefited from this program. Immigration continues to be a pivotal issue in the upcoming U.S. elections.

(With inputs from agencies.)