The government in Biden said on Monday that it would offer Venezuelans who entered the U.S. illegally temporary legal status after fleeing the country’s economic crisis, a name that could affect hundreds of thousands of people.
Under the designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), qualifying Venezuelan nationals can apply to stay legally in the country for a period of 18 months ending in September 2022. The White House has called for ‘extraordinary and temporary conditions in Venezuela’, including: a famine crisis, societal oppression, poor infrastructure and an increase in non-governmental groups, as the catalyst for action.
“The living conditions in Venezuela reveal a country in turmoil that cannot protect its own citizens,” Interior Minister Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. “It is in times of extraordinary and temporary circumstances such as these that the United States is stepping forward to support eligible Venezuelan nationals already present here, while their homeland seeks to rectify current crises.”
Former President Donald Trump has imposed severe sanctions on Nicolas Maduro’s government, but opposed two calls to grant a TPS designation to Venezuelans during his tenure. In January, Trump introduced the Deferred Forced Departure Program to protect some Venezuelan citizens from deportation for a period of 18 months.
Under the Biden government’s policy, an estimated 320,000 people could apply to legally reside in the United States during the 18-month period, the Associated Press reported, citing a senior official. In 2019, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that a TPS order would apply to about 200,000 Venezuelans.
The White House and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.
Venezuela’s economy collapsed under the Maduro regime, resulting in huge food and medicine shortages in recent years.
The US was one of dozens of countries that recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela and called on Maduro to step down after the disputed election results. The Trump administration has imposed extensive sanctions on top Maduro government officials, as well as the country’s oil industry.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, potential applicants must prove permanent residency in the U.S. from March 8, 2021 to be eligible. Venezuelans applying for the program during the 180-day registration period will be subject to security and background checks.
Senate leader Majority Chuck Schumer praised the decision, saying it was “the commitment our country has to support the protection of Venezuelans fleeing a corrupt regime.”
“The plight of the people of Venezuela is a challenge to the conscience of the world and I commend Secretary Mayorkas and President Biden for trying to combat the humanitarian catastrophe in the region,” Schumer said.
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Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott in Florida were among the leading GOP officials who supported a TPS nomination. Venezuela is one of ten countries with a temporary protected status.
“I have long advocated for the provision of much-needed relief to help eligible Venezuelan citizens living in the United States with a work permit and a temporary solution, which is exactly what the Trump administration did earlier this year,” he said. Rubio said in a statement. “I am pleased that the Biden government is sharing the commitment, and I support the award of TPS status to eligible Venezuelan nationals currently in the US.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.