The Biden administration announced it is resuming deportations of Venezuelan migrants in an effort to crack down on illegal border crossings. This move comes as Venezuelan migrants flood the U.S.-Mexico border, fleeing their economically depressed country.
Venezuela’s situation has driven hundred of thousands of migrants to take the dangerous journey to the U.S.-Mexico border in search of better living conditions.
Panamanian officials have said that more than 400,000 Venezuelan migrants have crossed the dangerous Darién Gap jungle on their way to the U.S. this year. That number is up from 250,000 making the journey in all of 2022.
The announcement comes weeks after the Department of Homeland Security’s 18-month extension of Temporary Protected Status for 472,000 Venezuelans already living in the U.S. as of July 31.
U.S. officials said that the Temporary Protected Status applies only to Venezuelan migrants who were in the U.S. by July 31.
It has not been made clear how many flights the administration would send to Venezuela or how many migrants will be flown back.
On Thursday, Oct. 5, a White House official said the administration is doing this to “show how we are committed to imposing consequences on those who cross the border unlawfully.”
Also this week, the Biden administration announced it is waiving 26 federal laws to get started on building the wall along the border of Mexico and Texas.
The announcements come as the number of illegal border crossings into the U.S. hit its 2023 peak in September.
