USDHS Won't Deport Family Of Active Service Members

Family members of active service members will temporarily no longer be deported.

By H. Nelson Goodson

November 15, 2013

Washington, D.C. - On Friday, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a policy memorandum, which exempts family members of veterans and active members of the military or individuals who previously served in the U.S. Armed Services from deportation proceedings. 

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will now use the policy memorandum that outlined the new policy, which allows spouses, children, and parents of certain active duty, reserve, and former U.S. service members to be temporarily parole from deportation proceedings, according to the policy memorandum. 

The USCIS will handle immigrant petitions in a case by case basis, to "Parole" for "urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit." Discretionary parole will not erase prior illegal entry to the U.S., felony convictions and serious crimes. Individuals and U.S. Veterans with criminal convictions will not be eligible for parole status, according to the memorandum. 

DHS will continue to deport U.S. Veterans for felony convictions or misdemeanors with sentences up to a year and for adverse factors.

Discretionary parole or waiver from being removed from the U.S. will be granted on a year by year basis.

USCIS policy memorandum (PDF) at link: http://alturl.com/gxn4c