Biden Admin. Offers Venezuelan Migrants Path Into US

Facts

• On Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed it would roll out a new program for Venezuelan migrants seeking to enter the US and return those who illegally cross the border to Mexico under a Trump-era pandemic rule.
• The humanitarian parole program is available to 24k Venezuelans who must have a US sponsor to support them for up to two years and meet certain health requirements.
• The program would be similar to one announced in April to bring Ukrainian refugees to the US. Venezuelans caught crossing the US-Mexico border illegally in the past five years would not be eligible for the program.
• Venezuelans recently surpassed Guatemalans and Hondurans to become the second-largest nationality stopped at the US border after Mexicans. In August, Venezuelans were stopped around 25.3k times, a 43% increase from about 17.6k in July and four times more than the approximate 6.3k people stopped in August 2021.
• An estimated 6.8M Venezuelans have fled their country since its economy fell in 2014, mostly to Latin American and Caribbean countries.
• Venezuelans who successfully apply online will come to the US through an airport. However, migrants will have to organize travel to the US on their own, as there are currently no flights allowed from Venezuela due to US concerns about the safety of Venezuela's aviation industry.

Sources: CNN, New York Times, Reuters, spectrumlocal, Independent, and NPR Online News.

Narratives

• Republican narrative, as provided by BreitBart. In a shoddy attempt to win political points ahead of the upcoming midterms, Pres. Biden has decided to implement a colossal giveaway to Venezuelans at the expense of Americans. The plan includes many holes — such as overreliance on Mexico's cooperation — and will give corporations access to cheap immigrant labor, hurting American workers already dealing with a tight economy.
• Democratic narrative, as provided by Daily Kos. This plan continues Biden’s humanitarian approach to immigration, especially toward Venezuelans, whom he previously gave Temporary Protect Status (TPS) starting in March 2021. These people are fleeing a dangerous, unstable country, and the US can afford to take them in. Although this plan would be better if it did more to accept migrants without sponsors, it’s a step in the right direction.