The Biden administration recently decided to not new humanitarian parole for Venezuelans. The Trump Campaign has characterized Venezuelan parolees as illegal aliens, implying that but for the humanitarian parole program, all of the parolees would have come across the border illegally. This simply not a true statement.
It is not true because (1) the humanitarian parole program provided a legal process whereby people with financial sponsors in the USA to be able to enter the country legally and to work in the country legally, (2) traversing the Darién Gap is not something that all of the parolees were willing to do or else they would have already been here illegally, and (3) many, if not most, of the parolees have never before shown any willingness or desire to enter the United States illegally, choosing instead to remain rotting in Venezuela under the communist regimes of Chavez and Maduro during the past 25+ years.
The humanitarian parole program has provided a lifeline for those with committed sponsors assuming financial responsibility for them here in the USA. Venezuelan parolees have completed a rigorous screening process and incurred significant expenses—often thousands of dollars in filing fees, airfare, legal assistance, and other costs—to pursue a life in the United States. Many have uprooted their lives to build a future here, and indiscriminately forcing them to leave now would be profoundly unjust, especially considering their contributions to our society.
A sensible solution would be for the Trump administration to introduce a case-by-case review for Venezuelan parolees, ensuring that those who meet specific criteria can remain in the U.S. For instance, individuals who have (1) no criminal record in the U.S., (2) stable employment with tax contributions, (3) filed taxes as required, (4) refrained from using government assistance, and (5) college degrees should have their parole or TPS renewed. Alternatively, green card eligibility could be extended to parolees that are the siblings of U.S. citizens, allowing them to adjust their status here without disruption.
Yes, it’s likely that the Biden Administration used these parolees as political pawns in order to try to win the election, but is it fair to now punish them for following the rules that were presented to them? Yes, some of these parolees were sponsored by people who do not have the financial wherewithall to support them, but many of the sponsors do have the financial wherewithall. Yes, some of these parolees are criminals, but the vast majority are not.
It is my hope that the Trump Administration will have compassion on these people, many of whom were waiting patiently in Venezuela, rotting under the regimes of Chavez and Maduro for 25+ years, until they were presented with a legal means to migrate to the USA and create a life for themselves here. A sensible process should be created to review these cases, including the viability of their sponsors, to allow some parolees to stay, by either renewing their paroles, renewing their TPS, or providing batches of green cards for parolees that are sibilings of US Citizens so that they can adjust their status.