WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today called attention to the Biden Administration’s abuse of immigration parole. Parole is intended to be used on a case-by-case basis and should only be granted in circumstances of urgent humanitarian need or significant public benefit.

Former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump paroled – on average – 5,623 migrants into the United States each year. 

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, President Biden paroled 795,561 migrants.  In FY 2023 he has already paroled 802,764 migrants and that total does not include the 4^th quarter.   It is likely the Biden Administration will have paroled approximately 1.2 million migrants in FY 2023 when final figures are available.

• GRAHAM: “On average, Presidents Obama and Trump paroled 5,623 people [per year]. Last year, FY22, the Biden Administration paroled 795,561 people. The law requires an individual analysis of the parole request based on two factors, unique humanitarian need or special benefit to our country. There is no way in hell they did an individual analysis on 795,561 people.” https://www.youtube.com/live/ZT0wdo4fqXc?si=o_dhLfOIJUTe-PBU&t=29

• GRAHAM: “[The Biden Administration has] been abusing parole. When you compare it to what other presidents have done, they went from 5,623 [on average] per year to 795,561 last year.” https://www.youtube.com/live/ZT0wdo4fqXc?si=EExY8LGh48HKbFSk&t=96

•  GRAHAM: “This blanket parole approach, I think, is illegal. I think the Biden Administration will lose in court.”  https://www.youtube.com/live/ZT0wdo4fqXc?si=HwFoZ7PJjuaWceOo&t=68

• GRAHAM: “To the American people, what the Biden Administration is doing is illegal. It is incentivizing illegal immigration. [Immigration parole] is the tool of choice by the Biden Administration to implement an ‘open borders’ policy.” https://www.youtube.com/live/ZT0wdo4fqXc?si=48N4IkiS95uJuh13&t=143

• GRAHAM: “We’re playing Russian roulette with the American people’s national security by having a completely broken border.” https://www.youtube.com/live/ZT0wdo4fqXc?si=_pMajk38fwUg_j_1&t=1310

• GRAHAM: 

BACKGROUND on Parole Authority by Year:

FY 2014:  4,043

FY 2015:  4,598

FY 2016:   5,387 

FY 2017:   5,722

FY 2018:   6,446

FY 2019:   7,525

FY 2020:   No Data Available

FY 2021:   No Data Available

FY 2022:   795,561

FY 2023:   802,764 (partial total, awaiting Q4 numbers)

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