Major USCIS change after Trump’s order: Key immigration form no longer accepted
Amid a surge in anti-illegal immigration operations, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will temporarily pause an important form, following President Donald Trump’s executive order on Jan. 20.
This order recognizes the President’s authority over the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq., and section 301 of title 3 of the United States Code.
It states that over the past four years, the US “has suffered an unprecedented large-scale invasion.” It also stresses that “millions of illegal aliens from nations and regions around the world have successfully entered,” despite their potential as criminals, spies, or agents of other territories “with malicious intent.”
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USCIS suspends key immigration form for parole and family reunification
The federal agency released an update on Tuesday regarding the I-134A, Online Application to Become a Support Person and Declaration of Financial Support form.
In response to the “Securing Our Borders” executive order, USCIS decided to pause acceptance of the document “until we review all categorical parole processes as required by that order.”
The form was part of the humanitarian parole processes of the previous administration led by President Joe Biden, which in recent years benefited more than half a million citizens of Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Haiti, who had an economic sponsor who met several requirements in the US.
From his first moments in the White House, President Trump made clear his intentions to end parole proceedings. His Jan. 20 executive order includes a decision to “terminate all categorical parole programs that are contrary to the policies of the United States established in my Executive Orders, including the program known as the ‘Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans.’”
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However, the financial support form that USCIS paused not only impacts applications from humanitarian parole sponsors, but also family reunification permit processes, which operate through the same financial support document. Therefore, the USCIS measure would also affect the latter.
Trump new immigration order: ‘Golden Age’ of restrictions and mass deportations
The USCIS changes come at a time of uncertainty and fear for immigrants who have not been able to regularize their status in the United States, while federal agencies undertake massive detention and deportation operations in the country.
Trump’s first week in the White House has been marked by dozens of executive orders and immigration restrictions, under the promise of leading the country toward its “Golden Age.”
Among his most recent measures, Donald Trump revoked an extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 600,000 Venezuelans, which allowed them to remain in the United States and access key documents such as employment authorization or work permits.
This story was originally published January 29, 2025 at 3:06 PM with the headline "Major USCIS change after Trump’s order: Key immigration form no longer accepted."
