Press Releases: Status of the Central American Minors Program

As described in the FY 2018 Report to Congress on the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, the U.S. government is ending the Central American Minors (CAM) refugee program in FY 2018.

The CAM refugee program became effective on December 1, 2014, and allowed certain parents lawfully present in the United States to request a refugee resettlement interview for their children and eligible family members who are nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

The decision to end the CAM refugee program was made as part of the overall U.S. government review of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program for FY 2018.

The Department of State will not accept any new applications to the CAM refugee program after 11:59pm EST, November 9.

The Resettlement Support Centers in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala will continue to pre-screen applicants who file by the November 9 deadline. All requirements, such as DNA testing, security checks, and medical examinations remain the same.

For further information, please contact PRMPress@state.gov.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.