Don’t wait for humanitarian parole, this is rare: US to Bangladeshis

The humanitarian parole is being used “sparingly” to bring someone who is otherwise inadmissible into the US for a temporary period of time due to a compelling emergency, diplomats say.

“This (humanitarian parole) is the last resort for those who are in extreme danger,” Andrea Brouillette-Rodriguez, Counselor for Political and Economic Affairs at the US embassy in Dhaka says.

Consul General of the embassy Elizabeth Gourlay concurs and says the process “takes time, so don’t wait for it. If you are in danger, go to a different country, or another city within your country, where you feel safe”.

The two diplomats were talking to a group of journalists on Thursday at the embassy on the US ‘humanitarian parole’ issue that recently came to the fore in Bangladesh.

They also called upon the government and people to work together and reject extremists’ ideology.

After the latest killing of LGBT rights activist Xulhaz Mannan and his friend Mahbub Rabbi Tonoy, the Department of State has said giving shelter to those in danger “is an option under consideration”.

But it depends solely on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that is responsible for the humanitarian parole approval, the State Department had earlier said.

Consul General Gourlay said the embassy had no control on humanitarian parole.

Those who want to apply can courier their documents directly to the DHS. The details are available on the website, she said.

But she said it was “very rare” to approve such parole. In her 30-year career she herself found one case that has been approved by the DHS.

The counselor, Brouillette-Rodriguez, said she found two cases in her 20 years of service.

“This rigorous process can take more than 120 days. Those who are in extreme danger must not wait for such a long time.”

She, however, said the humanitarian parole was “not the beginning of a permanent new life in America”.

“It’s temporary to give a space to reorganise your life. The maximum duration is one year and one can seek extension for once,” she said.