“More than 40 Thousand Venezuelans Receive Humanitarian Permits in the US”
The Migration Institute has reported that over 40,000 Venezuelans have received humanitarian permits to stay in the United States. This comes as the country has faced a significant humanitarian crisis, with over 7.7 million Venezuelans leaving their country mainly between 2016 and 2021.
The crisis has been fueled by internal conflict, economic volatility, political violence, and the collapse of public services, particularly the health system. Spiraling inflation, reaching more than 130,000 percent in 2018, has also contributed to the dire situation in Venezuela.
While about 6.5 million Venezuelans have moved to other Latin American and Caribbean countries, the United States and Spain have each received half a million or more. Not all Venezuelans self-identify as refugees, but almost all describe their displacement as forced and a matter of survival.
At the onset of the crisis, many regional governments welcomed Venezuelans and provided them with some form of legal status. However, as the number of Venezuelans grew significantly in most countries in 2019 and 2020, greater public skepticism and political backlash emerged.
The US counties with the most Venezuelans, according to data collected by the Migration Policy Institute between 2017 and 2021, include Miami-Dade County (Florida) with 93,900, Broward County (Florida) with 46,500, and Orange County (Florida) with 29,800. Other counties with significant Venezuelan populations include Harris County (Texas), Los Angeles County (California), and Queens County (New York).
The situation in Venezuela continues to be of great concern, and the international community continues to grapple with providing support for those who have been forced to leave their country in search of safety and stability.