US Grants Temporary Protection and Work Permits to Half a Million Venezuelan Migrants

The United States will grant temporary deportation relief and work permits to approximately 472,000 Venezuelans already in the country, in response to increased instability and lack of safety in Venezuela. This move follows calls by Democrats to provide legal work access for newly arrived migrants. President Joe Biden, facing record illegal border crossings, has seen a rise in migrants fleeing economic and political turmoil in Venezuela. The expansion of protected status for Venezuelans is aimed at addressing strained local and state resources. The Pentagon will send 800 additional active-duty troops to the border, and the Biden administration will expand a program to rapidly process migrant families seeking asylum. Work permits for certain immigrants, including asylum-seekers, will be valid for five years.