Is the Central American Minors program still open?

This page is general information, not legal advice. Wanting your child with you is one of the strongest reasons people take risks. Before anyone travels or pays anyone, talk to a lawyer or accredited representative about the safest legal path.

What was the CAM program?

CAM let certain parents and legal guardians who were lawfully present in the United States ask for their children in El Salvador, Guatemala or Honduras to come as refugees. If a child did not qualify as a refugee, the government could consider them for parole instead, generally for 3 years (USCIS CAM page).

The child had to be unmarried, under 21, living in one of the three countries, and a national of one of them. The parent had to be at least 18 and in a qualifying category, such as a green card, TPS, parole or deferred action for at least 1 year, withholding of removal, or certain pending asylum, U visa or T visa cases filed on or before April 11, 2023 (USCIS).

The program was created in 2014, ended in 2017 and 2018, reopened in 2021, and was expanded in 2023 (USCIS).

Is CAM open now?

No new cases are moving, as far as we can confirm. Here is why:

• CAM's main path is the US refugee program. On January 20, 2025, the President ordered that refugee entry be suspended starting January 27, 2025, and that decisions on refugee applications be suspended too (Executive Order 14163, Federal Register). The order allows case by case exceptions only when officials find it in the national interest.
• Refugee groups sued. On March 5, 2026, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed most of a lower court order and held that the suspension of refugee processing and admissions was not unlawful (IRAP announcement of Pacito v. Trump).
• The CAM parole part was also paused in January 2025, except for cases covered by the S.A. v. Trump settlement, according to the refugee rights group IRAP (IRAP CAM resources).

I already applied. What happens to my case?

• Pending refugee cases: interviews, decisions and travel were suspended in January 2025, according to IRAP (IRAP). Keep your case number and the resettlement agency's contact. The CAM hotline run by the International Rescue Committee has been out of service since February 12, 2025 (IRAP).
• Older parole cases closed in 2017: the USCIS page says it continues processing certain CAM parole cases under the S.A. v. Trump settlement. USCIS mailed notices to affected families, and you can check through the CAM Case Check page linked from USCIS CAM.
• Children already in the US on CAM parole: parole ends on its end date or if you leave the US, unless USCIS ends it earlier (USCIS). USCIS says to ask for re-parole on Form I-131 at least 90 days before parole ends. The refugee rights group IRAP reports that USCIS paused parole and re-parole decisions in 2025, and that a court order required CAM re-parole requests to be processed as of May 28, 2025, as temporary emergency relief that "might change" (IRAP CAM resources). IRAP's page shows no later update, so ask a lawyer how re-parole requests are being handled now. Talk to a lawyer about other options for your child, such as asylum, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status or a family petition, before parole runs out.

Did any similar program replace it?

No. A related program for Hondurans, Salvadorans and Guatemalans with approved family petitions, called Family Reunification Parole, was ended by DHS on December 15, 2025 (Federal Register notice). We found no new program for Central American children as of October 21, 2026.

What other ways can my child join me?

It depends on your status. These paths existed before CAM and still exist:

Fees for I-130 and the no fee rules for I-730, U and T family filings come from the USCIS fee rule (8 CFR 106.2). Immigrant visas abroad also have State Department fees and a medical exam.

Is it safe for my child to travel to the border alone?

We cannot tell you it is safe, and we will not tell you to do it. The trip is dangerous, and the rules at the border change often. By law, a child who arrives alone and is held by a federal agency must generally be transferred within 72 hours to the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), which then looks for a sponsor (8 USC 1232(b)(3)). If a family member is already in ORR care or someone asks you for money to release a child, call the ORR National Call Center at 1-800-203-7001. ORR does not charge sponsors any fee (ORR policy guide, section 5). See What happens to children in immigration custody.

What mistakes should I avoid?

• Paying a notario or "agent" to file CAM. There is no fee, and no one may charge you to complete the form (USCIS).
• Throwing away old CAM papers. If processing resumes, or a court orders it, your case number matters.
• Assuming your status lets you petition. TPS, DACA and pending cases do not.
• Waiting on a CAM parole child's end date. Start other options early.

Who can help?

Bay Area help (San Mateo and Santa Clara counties):

• CLSEPA: immigration help for low income residents of San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. (650) 326-6440. Walk in Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (CLSEPA).
• Catholic Charities San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin: family petitions, asylum and children's cases. (650) 285-6451 (Catholic Charities SF).
• Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County: (408) 468-0100, $50 consultation (Catholic Charities SCC).

Anywhere in the United States:

• IRAP (International Refugee Assistance Project) posts CAM updates (IRAP CAM resources).
• Free legal help in the Bay Area lists more options.

Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

Questions people ask

I have TPS. Can I still bring my child through CAM? TPS was a qualifying status for CAM, but the program is not processing new cases now. TPS does not let you file a family petition on its own.

My child turned 21 while our CAM case was waiting. Is the case over? The USCIS page says a child whose parent filed before November 9, 2017 stays eligible even after turning 21, for current processing. For later cases, ask the resettlement agency or a lawyer.

Will CAM come back? We do not know. The executive order calls for reviews every 90 days. Check the USCIS CAM page for any change, and keep your case papers.

Can I file an I-130 for my child while I wait for my own green card? No. You can file only after you are a green card holder or citizen.

Is there any fee to check my old CAM case? No. Checking your case on USCIS's settlement page is free.