A new report from a conservative immigration group on the ongoing surge of Venezuelan migrants at the southern border finds that the crisis is caused not only by economic conditions but also by U.S. policies.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) A report has been publishedA copy of the document was obtained by Fox News Digital, which is investigating the dramatic increase in migrants arriving at the US southern border from socialist dictatorships.
The report highlights a sharp increase in the number of Venezuelans arriving at the border, from 50,000 in 2021 to nearly 335,000 in 2023.
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“This makes Venezuelans the second most commonly encountered nationality at the border,” the newspaper said.
“It is difficult to grasp the magnitude of these numbers without conceptualizing them in some way other than the raw numbers. The number of active duty personnel in the U.S. Air Force is also about the same. ”
Venezuelan migrants communicate with family and friends in a camping area in front of a U.S. Border Patrol post across the Rio Bravo River in the evening, Nov. 14, 2022, Mexico. (Carlos Ernesto Escalona/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Analysis of upcoming numbers has typically emphasized the situation in Venezuela, which has faced years of hyperinflation, poverty and human rights violations. However, the FAIR report highlights that despite years of poor conditions, the number of individuals visiting the border was low until FY21.
Rather, the report ties the numbers to a reduction in enforcement, arguing that each time the Biden administration takes enforcement action, the numbers increase but then decline sharply.
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“Illegal Venezuelan immigration to the United States is driven not only by economic conditions but also by policy, and as the Biden administration announces tougher enforcement policies, the number of encounters will decline,” the report said.
The report claims that contacts decreased after Mexico announced it would no longer allow Venezuelans to enter Mexico without visas, following a call from the Biden administration. It also points to the decline in Venezuelan immigration after Title 42 ended in May and the promise to reimpose “consequences” for illegal entry.
There was a similar decline in fall 2023, when the Biden administration announced it would resume direct repatriation flights to Venezuela. The administration said this month that it “certainly intends to increase repatriation flights to Venezuela,” and that the administration views this as a “critical part” of its broader migration strategy.
“It’s an important deterrent,” the official said.
But the report also points to a program that allows up to 30,000 Venezuelans to enter the U.S. each month on humanitarian parole, in addition to Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans, and a program that allows up to 30,000 Venezuelans to enter the United States each month on humanitarian parole, as well as Venezuelans entering Temporary Protected Status (TPS). He also claims that there are other moves, such as re-designation. ) encouraged immigration levels from Venezuela.
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But overall, the Biden administration’s move to release more illegal immigrants into the country, rather than detaining or deporting them, is “the main driver of mass migration,” the newspaper said.
The group, which advocates for lower overall immigration levels, says the situation in Venezuela is “extremely unfortunate” but the solution is not to “allow millions of Venezuelans to permanently reside in the United States.”
“If the United States wants to promote political change, the best way to do so is to avoid draining potential changemakers from Venezuela by encouraging and enabling them to leave their country,” the report said. “It has said.
The report also expressed concern about the possibility of Venezuelan gang members entering the United States, and given Venezuela’s close ties to Iran, given Iran’s sponsorship of Hezbollah and Hamas. have also expressed concerns about terrorism. The report cites past congressional hearings that highlighted how Venezuela provides travel documents to armed groups. Federal officials said all migrants encountered at the border will be subject to a layered screening system before being released.
The administration said it is pursuing a broad strategy to expand “legal tools,” including a parole program for Venezuelans and other nationalities, while enforcing “consequences” for illegal immigration. The government claims it has returned more migrants since May than in the entire 2019 financial year, pushing back against claims it is releasing migrants in large numbers. It also seeks funding from Congress, including additional expulsion powers.
Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the magnet that draws migrants north is a “broken” system that Congress needs to fix.
“The magnet is the fact that it can take more than six years from encountering an individual at the border to the final adjudication of an immigration case,” he said this month. “This is a magnet. That’s why I’m working with Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. Senate to provide solutions for the American people and fix an immigration system that we all agree is broken. “It’s been a long time coming.” ”
The report calls for safe third country agreements with Venezuela’s neighbors, an end to the parole program and an end to the “catch-and-release” policy. This is in addition to deportations, Article 42 deportation powers, and increased scrutiny of Venezuelan nationals.
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“If these policies are enacted, it is very likely that mass immigration from Venezuela will slow down. Given the scale and speed of Venezuelans arriving in the United States, these policies must be implemented without delay. Many of these can be implemented immediately by Biden.
The report comes as the migrant crisis continues to break records. The number of encounters with migrants at the southern border in December exceeded 302,000, second only to the previous record of 2.4 million in 2023.
