Cablegate: Parole Processing for Cuban Medical Personnel

O 172237Z AUG 06
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS STATE 135733

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CVIS CU SMIG
SUBJECT: PAROLE PROCESSING FOR CUBAN MEDICAL PERSONNEL

1. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced
that effective immediately it will consider Significant
Public Benefit Parole (SPBP) requests from Cuban medical
personnel who are currently conscripted to work or study
in third countries under the direction of the Cuban
Government and their accompanying spouses and minor
children who wish to resettle in the United States. Some
officers have already been contacted by potential Cuban
applicants, and the Department anticipates that others
will likely be contacted about this program. You should
immediately begin accepting requests for parole from Cuban
medical professionals present in your consular district.

2. Cuban medical personnel wishing to request SPBP should
be directed to the USCIS representative in country. For
countries that do not have a USCIS presence, the following
procedure should be followed. Candidates for parole should
fill out forms DS-156, DS-157, and DS-158. Spouses and
minor children who are accompanying Cuban medical
personnel should also fill out these three forms and
submit them to the consular section. Officers should
carefully review the forms for completeness and legibility
and should ensure that information on family members in
both Cuba and the United States is complete. Even though
no affidavit of support is required for parole, applicants
should also indicate on the forms if they have potential
sources of financial support or sponsorship in the United
States, including addresses and telephone numbers if
possible.

3. You should make photocopies of the passport, any
credentials that identify the individual as medical
personnel, and any other documentation that could assist
DHS in making a determination as to whether or not the
individual qualifies for this parole. You should ensure
that you have local contact information for the
individual. To the greatest extent possible, you should
expedite acceptance of parole applications, by accepting
walk-ins or rapidly scheduling any requests that you
receive via phone/fax/e-mail.

4. Once this data is collected, you should immediately
send a VISAS EAGLE SAO cable through the INK system. You
should scan all documentation and e-mail the entire file
to REFUGEEAFFAIRS@DHS.GOV and CubaIMM@state.gov. Posts
are not expected to make any recommendations on these
cases. Once you receive clearance on the SAO cable, you
should forward that clearance to the same e-mail
addresses.

5. If the individual does not appear to qualify for SPBP
as outlined above, you should explain to the applicant
that while he or she may not qualify, their information
will be accepted and sent to USCIS for consideration. To
repeat, consular officers should refer all cases to USCIS
for adjudication even if the applicant does not appear to
qualify.

6. You should be aware that there may be some risk for
individuals who wish to be considered for SPBP. Where
this is the case, officers from other mission sections may
be able to assist individuals requesting parole in
arranging delivery of parole documents in a way that
reduces potential risks to parolees. Potential parolees
should be aware that they may encounter difficulties
departing certain countries even though they have been
granted parole in the United States. Travel arrangements,
costs, and exit permissions from third countries are the
sole responsibility of the parolee. Additionally,
parolees with immediate family members in Cuba should be
told that their families are likely to encounter extreme
difficulties in receiving exit permission from the Cuban
government.

7. In the same announcement, DHS outlined a proposal for
Cubans who are U.S. citizens or residents to apply for
expedited entry for certain family members residing in
Cuba. Further guidance on this issue will follow as it
becomes available.

8. Officers with questions, please contact USCIS at
REFUGEEAFFAIRS@DHS.GOV.
RICE

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