Up to 350, 000 Venezuelans living in the U. S. are suddenly facing a big change. They are losing their protection from deportation and their right to work in America.

        The change means that almost half of the 600, 000 Venezuelans who had special protection in the U. S. will have to leave in just a couple of months. The decision was made by Kristi Noem, who is in charge of Homeland Security. The group of Venezuelans who will be affected are those who had Temporary Protected Status.

        This decision is part of a larger plan by the administration to tackle immigration issues. They are trying to deport many people who are living in the U. S. illegally. The Trump administration wants this to be the largest deportation effort in U. S. history.

        The Venezuelans who are losing their protections have been living in the U. S. since the 1990s. At that time, the U. S. government created a special status for people who had to leave their home countries because of bad conditions. The status gives those people the right to live and work in the U. S. for up to 18 months, but it does not give them a path to citizenship.

        This special status, known as TPS, has been a lifeline for many Venezuelans who have been escaping violence and poverty at home. In recent years, Venezuela has seen a lot of political unrest and economic troubles, making it a hard place to live.

        The administration's decision was announced late last week, and it will be set to go on November 20th. They claimed that the conditions in Venezuela have improved. However it is known that Venezuela has no current diplomatic relations with the U. S. which makes deporting people hard.

        Noem also said that the program had been used by people to settle in the U. S. without going through the proper immigration channels. This is a big concern for the administration, as they believe that it has led to problems in local communities.

        Critics, on the other hand, argue that the decision is based on a misinterpretation of the facts. Venezuelan refugees have been relying on the U. S. government to keep the status active, as it gives them a legal right to stay in the U. S. This status also provides them with a sense of security, as they are aware that they have legal status in a country where they can work and go to school.

        The decision was also based on the presence of Venezuelan gang members in the U. S.  However, this has sparked criticism that the administration is treating all Venezuelans as criminals.

        The Trump administration is determined to secure deportations to Venezuela. They sent a special envoy, Richard Grenell, to meet with President Nicolás Maduro. This has led to the release of six American prisoners in Venezuela. But, it remains unclear what this meeting means for the future of Venezuelan deportees.

        Trump's administration is also trying to end protections for people from other countries, like El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan. But this has been met with legal challenges from immigration advocacy groups.

        Venezuela is currently facing a massive exodus of its citizens. With a population of 28 million, 17% of the population has migrated to other countries, with a majority being women and children. This is because of the economic crisis and political strife.

        The future of Venezuelan refugees in the U. S. is currently uncertain. They are now in the midst of a waiting game, relying on the U. S. government to revisit its decision. They are also waiting to see what the Venezuelan government's response will be to this situation. Whatever the outcome, the Venezuelan refugees will no longer have the luxury of playing the waiting game.

Venezuela's Waiting Game: Venezuelan Refugees in the Crosshairs

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