Skip to main content
العربية Español فارسی Français Kreyòl ayisyen հայերեն پښتو Português Русский Українська (Україна)

Basic Information For People Recently Released into the US by US Government Authorities

  • Updated

The International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP) provides free legal help to some refugees and displaced people. 

IRAP decides to help people based on their need and eligibility for immigration status. IRAP does not decide to help people based on any other social or political or religious criteria.

This website provides general information about legal processes available to some refugees. It is not meant as legal advice for individual applications. 

Requirements may change. Always check for current requirements from the government or agency deciding your request.

If you are in a refugee emergency,  we recommend that you contact the UNHCR office in the country where you live.

 

NOTE: This information is from June 7, 2024. This information is affected by new policies as of January 20, 2025 and will be updated soon.

This article has information about what happens after you are released into the United States, or “paroled” into the United States at the border.

What is included in this article:

What happens if you are released into the United States after an appointment at a port of entry?

Most people who enter the United States via a CBP appointment are released into the United States with a status called parole and with a notice that they need to appear in immigration court proceedings. This means that the U.S. government is trying to deport them. 

What Does it Mean to Have Parole?

Parole lets people who are not citizens of the U.S. live in the U.S. for a temporary, set time limit (but not forever).

However, it is very important to know that parole does not give you permanent status in the US. Permanent status means being allowed to live legally in the U.S. forever. This means that if you have been paroled but want to stay in the U.S. for the long-term you need to look for a different way to stay in the U.S. permanently. There are some other ways to do this, like applying for asylum. 

Here are some important things to know about parole:

  • If you are paroled, you can apply for a work permit. A work permit lets you legally work in the United States. Your work permit ends when your parole ends. The form to apply for this permit is called an “I-765”, and it can be filed online (using this form) or by mail. 
  • Before parole ends – and as early as possible – you can usually benefit from speaking with a  lawyer. It can be helpful try to quickly apply for some type of permanent status if you are eligible.
  • You can sometimes get a new parole period when the first one ends, but this is usually not possible for people who receive parole at a CBP appointment at the U.S.-Mexico border. 
  • Sometimes immigration officials give out information about the parole period on a piece of paper. If they do not give this paper out, you can usually find out how long their parole period is by checking online.

What Comes After Being Paroled into the United States?

Being paroled does not mean that your case is over. It only means that you are allowed to stay in the US temporarily. To be able to stay in the US legally, you must obtain another kind of permanent status, like asylum.

If you are paroled in at the US-Mexico border, you are usually put into immigration court proceedings. This means that the U.S. government is trying to deport you from the United States. It is possible to avoid deportation if you qualify for some other immigration status in the United States. This process can be very complicated, so it is helpful to find an immigration attorney as soon as possible after you have been granted parole. More information on finding an immigration attorney can be found later in this article. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Parole

Does Parole Last Forever? When Does It End? Is It Possible to Renew It?

  • Parole does not go on forever. It has an expiration date. It just means that a you can be in the U.S. temporarily. 
  • The officer who grants you parole decides the end date of that parole. The end date of your parole can be found on a piece of paper the government gives to you, or the stamp in your passport, or on the I-94 official website.
  • Unfortunately, there is not one answer to the question of whether you can renew parole. Some kinds of parole are renewable, some kinds are not, and some kinds are supposed to be renewable but it never actually happens. The rules change quickly, too.  

If I had a credible fear interview at the border, and I am then paroled into the United States, does that mean I have asylum?

  • No. This interview is just the first test to see you allowed to apply for asylum. Passing it does NOT mean that you have asylum yet. It also does not mean that you have applied for asylum.
  • If you pass the credible fear interview, you can apply for asylum. But you still have to turn in the application, follow the case, and win it in the end to get asylum. 
  • If you did not get a credible fear interview, that does NOT mean that you cannot apply for asylum. If you are afraid to return to your country, you may still apply for asylum within one year of entering the United States. 

Can People with Parole Bring Their Children to the US?

  • Most of the time, no. 
  • You usually have to apply for and get a certain status, such as asylum, to bring your family to the United States. Certain kinds of statutes allow you to stay in the United States permanently. The process of getting a qualifying permanent status and bringing family to the United states usually takes years.
  • However, there is a program called the Central American Minors (CAM) program that may apply to people from Guatemala, Honduras, or El Salvador. You may be eligible to apply for CAM if: 
    1. You are from one of these countries;
    2. Youhave one or more unmarried child under the age of 21 in your home country; and 
    3. got parole for one year or more. 

See here for more information on CAM.

Getting a Notice to Appear

After you are paroled in at the US-Mexico border, you will usually receive what is called a “Notice to Appear” (NTA). A Notice to Appear is a document that starts the process of two things:

  1. The government trying to deport you through immigration court proceedings and 
  2. You are trying to prove you have a right to remain in the United States.

The NTA form has a lot of very important information on it. However, that information can also change very quickly. Some of that information includes:

  • A nine-digit number called a “File Number” or “A Number.” This number stays with you on all of your applications and proceedings in the US and is a way to identify you. For that reason, it is very important to memorize this number and to keep it in a safe place, because it will help you keep track of your immigration case.

  • A notice stating when and where you have your first court date. This is usually close to the bottom of the page. If there is a court date listed, it is very important to go to court on that day and time. Sometimes there will not be a date, but that does NOT mean that you do not have court. You will still have a court date.

 

If you receive an NTA that does not have a court date, you can find out when you have your hearing by calling 1-800-898-7180 or by looking in the immigration court website. The phone number will be answered by an automated machine where you have to enter your “A Number”. It will tell you when you have court (if there is a scheduled court date). It is a good idea to call this number about once a week in case the information changes. Sometimes there is no record of your case. This means that the government has not yet filed your case. Unfortunately, you still need to appear on the date and time listed on your NTA - the government can file the notice at the last minute,

To find the immigration court website, search online for “EOIR automated case information” or by clicking this link: https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/en/caseInformation/

What It Means To Receive An “Order of Release on Recognizance” And/Or An “Order of Supervision”

Sometimes you are given what is called an “Order of Release on Recognizance” or an “Order of Supervision.” These are common forms from ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) that grants you parole and releases you from detention, but only on certain conditions. These conditions are usually listed on the “Order of Release” or “Order of Supervision” form; A person with an order usually must get permission to move before moving. You must go to local ICE field offices to “report” so that the U.S. government can verify your location and find you if necessary.  It is important to follow the conditions on these orders. If you receive the order and do  not follow what it says, you can be detained.

Here are some important things to know about these orders:

  • You will receive something called an ICE Check-In Date. This will be on the same form as the Order of Release on Recognizance or the Order of Supervision.
    • An ICE Check-In Date is NOT the same as an Immigration Court Date, even if it is on the same day. It is a separate appointment that is often in a different place and with different people. 
  • An immigration court date has a judge who is usually dressed very formally and who will appear either in-person or on a video screen. An ICE Check-In Date does not have a judge.
  • ICE Check-Ins are used to show that you are following the terms (rules) of your release from detention. 
    • They are the U.S. government’s way to keep track of what you are doing while allowing you to stay out of detention. 
  • A person who receives check-in instructions should follow them.
    • ICE can add a person who misses a check-in to a “fugitives” list and detain them if they find them. ICE does not always do this.
    • Often, if you missed your check-in for a good reason, ICE will let you check in the next time you go to the location of the check-in. They will then give you a new date for the next check in. It is better to have an attorney help when you  have missed a check-in. 
      • Examples of good reasons for missing a check in: if it was impossible to enter the building, you had a medical emergency, you did not know you had a check-in, etc.

Frequently Asked Questions about Court Dates 

  1. What if You Move Far away from the Court Where You Have Your Court Date?
  2. If you move, or your address changes, you have to let the court know within five days of moving. This needs to happen no matter how close your new address is to your old address. 
  3. You can let the court know about your move by searching “Change of Address Form EOIR” in Google or using this link: https://respondentaccess.eoir.justice.gov/en/forms/eoir33ic/. 
  4. When you let  the court know what your new address is, the court may change where the hearing will take place. It may get moved to a court closer to the new address. 

What Happens if You Miss a Court Date?

  1. If you do  not go to court on time on the day of the hearing, you will receive a deportation order. This means the government can deport you at any time. It does not always mean you will get deported right away. 
  2. When you realize you have missed your court date or have a deportation order, you should find a lawyer as soon as possible to try to reopen the case.

Can a Court Date Change?

    1. Yes, court dates can change. You should check the 1-800-898-7180 immigration court phone hotline or the immigration court website (EOIR automated case information) about once a week to see if your court date has changed. 

How Can You Find an Immigration Lawyer in the U.S.?

  • Everyone has a right to an immigration lawyer, but that only means that:
    • You can have a lawyer help them with their immigration case.
    • If you have a lawyer, you have a right to have that lawyer speak at court dates and government meetings or interviews.
  • The U.S. government will not pay for a lawyer for immigration proceedings. But many non-profit organizations give people free legal services or legal services for a small fee. You might be able to get a lawyer through these organizations.
  • This website can help you find a lawyer through a non-profit organization: https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory.
  • Non-profit organizations might not have a lawyer in the area where you need one. If this happens, you might need to find and pay for private lawyers. You will need to pay these lawyers for their help.
  • This website can help you find private lawyers: https://help.asylumadvocacy.org/private-attorneys/.
  • If you are detained in the United States, the U.S. government should give you a list of free lawyers. If you are in CBP custody, you  should also get a list of free lawyers. You should try to call the numbers on the list before government interviews.
  • This article can help you learn more about “credible fear interviews.” Credible fear interviews are a kind of government interview.
  • It is important for you to apply for asylum before you have been in the U.S. for one year. You need to apply before this time, even if you do not have a lawyer yet.

 

 

Related articles