Q : Why extend another parole authority when there are three potential avenues of legal migration?

Two aspects of the existing array of migration programs limit the ability of the United States to effectively promote safe, legal, and orderly migration as an alternative to irregular maritime crossings from Cuba. First, with the exception of "immediate relatives" (e.g., spouse, unmarried child) of U.S. citizens, the number of family-based immigrant visas that are available in any given year is limited by statute. See Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) § 201(c), 202(a) & 203, 8 U.S.C. §§ 1151(c), 1152(a) & 1153. Second, the United States has not been permitted to hold a new registration period for the Cuban Lottery Program since 1998 due to constraints placed on the program by the Cuban Government. This fact greatly reduces the pool of individuals to whom the United States may issue travel documents.