In a major policy shift, the Biden administration has agreed to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to approximately 470,000 Venezuelan migrants, a move that comes as a significant concession to New York City Mayor Eric Adams and other blue-state officials.
The program will offer deportation protections and work permits to Venezuelans who arrived in the U.S. by July 31, 2023. The decision aims to alleviate the financial burden on cities like New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Boston, which have seen an influx of Venezuelan migrants.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas clarified that those arriving after the cut-off date would not be eligible for TPS and would face removal.
The move has been met with mixed reactions. While city officials argue that immediate work permits would help migrants become self-sufficient, critics within the administration had previously opposed the idea, fearing it would attract more migrants.
The policy change also does little to address the challenges posed by other large migrant groups from countries like Ecuador, Peru, and Colombia.
Additionally, the government plans to expedite work-permit processing for certain migrant groups and extend the validity of some work permits to five years, a decision that could stir controversy.
