Organizations of the Venezuelan diaspora in Miami expressed concern about the application of the new immigration law that regulates the entry of Venezuelans into US territory and they point out that the quota of beneficiaries should be expanded.
José Colina, from the VEPPEX organization, told the voice of america who appreciate “the measure because everything that benefits our Venezuelan community is welcomed,” but thinks “it is not enough, given the tragedy that Venezuelans are experiencing.” “We think that number of 24,000 should be increased , it must be expanded”, settled.
The rule suggests migratory regularization of 24,000 Venezuelans who demonstrate that they have a “sponsor” in the United States who provides financial or other support for their stay in the country.
The federal regulation took by surprise hundreds of Venezuelan migrants who have moved through the region, many through the dangerous jungle of Darien, after a trip of weeks. Dozens have been deported to Mexico when they tried to enter the United States without authorization, a situation that worries the spokesmen of the organizations.
Stranded in Necoclí
From Colomia, for example, Venezuelan migrants who are imprisoned in the Colombian town of Necoclí, in the north of the country, express their sadness, and now plan to return to Venezuela and other Latin American countries, hoping that the Biden Administration will change its mind. to try again to reach the United States.
“I come from Venezuela with the hope of being able to cross and overcome the jungle. I was already thinking about taking the risk of crossing the Darién Gap, but we were surprised by the news from the United States of immediately deporting Venezuelan migrants, which led us to make the decision not to continue with the route. Now, we decided to buy tickets to return to Venezuela and others to Ecuador, “he told the voice of americaKennedy Agudelo.
Agudelo, who emigrated from his native Venezuela, says that other groups of his countrymen who managed to reach Mexico recently have already been detained and deportedwhich sends a message: do not take the risk of crossing the dangerous jungle of the Darien Gap, knowing that once you reach the Mexican border you cannot enter the United States.
“We have some colleagues who arrived in Mexico and are being detained by Immigration and have already been deported. We hope that [el gobierno de EEUU] Change your mind to try again. We are not going to falter in that decision, ”she expresses.
For José Blanco, also a Venezuelan who only hours after arriving in Necoclí and was already preparing everything to cross the Darién Gap with his little daughter, to reach Panama and continue on his way to the United States, the announcement surprised him and now he packs his bags with the little money he has left to travel to Chile.
“I went out in search of a better future for my family, my mother, my daughters. Now with this news, many doors have been closed to Venezuelan migrants who do not have the benefits of going by plane. I am going to return to Chile to find a stable job and a better future for my daughters,” said José.
Measures for those who are on the way
It is precisely with that feeling of hopelessness that Colina, from the VEPPEX organization, wants to put an end to, considering that it is -in some way- an injustice.
“I think that some type of measure must be taken to benefit those people who were already on the road, because I think that making that journey to not obtain a benefit, I think it would not be fair,” Colina told the VOA.
Opinion shared by Ernesto Ackerman, of the Organization of Independent American Venezuelan Citizens: “They are humble people who paid money to pass through the Darién jungle, to reach Mexico, to find themselves now at the border with a decision that has neither head nor tail, because it is not known if they will be 24 thousand a month, 24 thousand a year”.
Ackerman also criticizes the implementation of the affidavit to guarantee the entry of each Venezuelan, since that reduces the spectrum of benefit to that community: “We return to the same thing, the one who will be able to enter is the close relative, a father, a mother , someone to whom one wants to sign an affidavit… but Juan Pérez asks someone, they are not going to sign that.”
On Wednesday, top officials from the Biden Administrationannounced the new plan that opens the doors to thousands of Venezuelans who qualify to enter the United States, due to the large influx of immigrants who arrive in the country with irregular status through the southern border.
In addition to having a sponsor, Venezuelans will have to pass rigorous biometric and biographical controls of national security and public safety. As well as presenting vaccination certificates and other public health requirements, not yet detailed.
The US government stressed on Thursday that he will proceed to return to Mexico to those immigrants who try to cross illegally through the southern border.
Of the 5.96 million refugees and migrants from Venezuela hosted in 17 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, three quarters, 4.37 million, still face difficulties in accessing food, housing, health and stable employment. According to official figures, in fiscal year 2022 there was an increase in Venezuelans who presented themselves at the border, 293% higher than the previous period.
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