U.S. green card: Parole in place could help parents of active-duty service members, immigration lawyer says

A legal pathway that could help some undocumented parents of active-duty U.S. service members obtain legal status remains uncertain for one longtime resident of the country. Immigration lawyer Karla Navarrete asked a court in Santa Ana, California, to examine whether her client qualifies for parole in place.

The man has lived in the United States for decades and has a son in the Army. That family connection allowed Navarrete to seek a hearing on his eligibility. The judge accepted the request and scheduled the appearance for early 2027.

“

At another time, this case would have been resolved in six months.

Parole in place can provide temporary legal status to certain undocumented people already in the United States who entered without inspection. In some cases, it can also open a path toward permanent residency. But the court's decision to review the case does not itself grant parole in place or a green card. The judge will decide at the next hearing whether the applicant meets the relevant criteria.

“

Now everyone is on the tightrope.

Navarrete said the process now takes far longer than it once did. "At another time, this case would have been resolved in six months," she told the Los Angeles Times. The applicant must now wait until next year for the scheduled hearing.

The lawyer also described the broader uncertainty facing people who may have a legal route to regularize their status. "Now everyone is on the tightrope," she said. She added that the current rules leave very few of her clients with strong chances of success: "Almost none of the clients has a winning case under current law." Navarrete, 42, is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant, a family history that influenced her decision to practice immigration law.

“

Almost none of the clients has a winning case under current law.