DHS to resume immigration program that was paused over 'serial' sponsors, potential fraud

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Thursday announced it was resuming a program that granted travel authorization to migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, who have a sponsor in the United States.

The program was paused last month after roughly 3,200 "serial sponsors" were used to support more than 100,000 applications. Some of those applications have been flagged as possible fraud.

The resumption of the program comes with new vetting procedures, including proof that the sponsors can financially support the migrants they are helping, and a better background check into the sponsors. The U.S. sponsors will also need to be fingerprinted.

"Serial filers who do not meet these qualifications or otherwise appear to be exploiting or abusing the process will be non-confirmed," a DHS spokesperson told NBC News.

Sponsors are not allowed to ask for any monetary payment from the migrants applying for travel authorization, according to the department, and those who do will be referred to law enforcement for possible prosecution.

The resumed program comes despite the Biden administration still needing to review approximately 30,000 applications that were flagged as possible fraud. But the administration has been in a hurry to resume the program because it believes it has helped reduce the number of illegal border crossings in recent weeks.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.