Biden Administration Introduces Contentious New Path to Entry for Venezuelan Migrants

"In the U.S., while private sponsorship programs and humanitarian parole should continue to be options available to people seeking safety, they cannot replace a functioning asylum system." - International Rescue Committee, Press Release, Oct. 13, 2022

The Biden Administration recently announced a new program for up to 24,000 Venezuelan migrants to gain U.S. entry, temporary humanitarian parole status, and work authorization. To qualify for the new program, Venezuelans must apply for entry from outside the United States and prove they have a U.S.-based sponsor.

Unfortunately, the new program will only affect a fraction of the Venezuelan migrants arriving at the U.S. border. Roughly 6 million Venezuelans have fled ongoing political turmoil and food insecurity, in addition to other issues exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, and many of these migrants already have or soon will seek refuge in the United States. For the five years preceding the pandemic, an average of 127 Venezuelans arrived at the U.S. border each month. Over the past year, the monthly average has been 15,000 Venezuelans.

While the new program has garnered praise for creating a new legal pathway to immigration, immigration advocates have criticized the program's reliance on sponsor-based immigration, emphasizing the need for a functioning U.S. asylum system. The program has also been heavily criticized for its use of Title 42, a public health policy used by the Trump Administration to deport migrants without allowing them to claim asylum. Essentially, Venezuelans who enter the United States at the U.S./Mexico border will be expelled to Mexico.

For More Information:

Learn more about the program here

This blog post does not serve as legal advice and does not establish any client-attorney privilege. Do not take any action based on the information contained in this post without consulting a qualified immigration attorney. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our legal team directly.

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