Biden extends temporary legal status, work permits to Venezuelans

Just under half a million Venezuelans – many who arrived in the U.S. through the Ciudad Juárez-El Paso border – will be allowed to remain in the country and work legally for 18 months.

The Biden administration announced the extension and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans late Wednesday just as the number of migrants arriving at the border has significantly increased – overwhelming shelters and leading to the U.S. Border Patrol releasing thousands of people to the streets in some cities.

However, the program applies only to those who arrived in the country before July 31 – about 472,000, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security estimates. That’s in addition to the 242,700 Venezuelans currently under protected status.