U.S. to reopen migrant sponsor program with new vetting process aimed at curbing fraud

The Biden administration is reopening an updated version of a migrant sponsorship program it paused abruptly earlier this summer due to concerns about fraud, Department of Homeland Security officials said Thursday.

First set up in late 2022 and expanded in early 2023 as a way to divert migrants away from the U.S.-Mexico border, the initiative allows up to 30,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to fly to the U.S. each month if U.S.-based sponsors successfully apply to support them.

The program, coupled with Mexico's move to take back citizens of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela who cross into the U.S. illegally, led to a dramatic drop in unlawful crossings by migrants from these four countries. But the policy was frozen in July after officials raised concerns that some would-be sponsors were filing fraudulent applications.