Share

Trump says he's looking at protections for Venezuelans in US

Share

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said his administration is considering granting Temporary Protected Status to thousands of Venezuelans who have fled to the United States amid ongoing unrest.

The once-wealthy oil nation is now facing severe shortages of basic goods and hyperinflation. Trump said the situation in Venezuela is a horrible thing that’s “been brewing for a long time.”

Temporary Protected Status is granted to people from countries ravaged by natural disasters or war and lets them remain in the U.S. until the situation improves back home.

The Trump administration has moved to discontinue that protection for many countries. But when the president was asked Tuesday about TPS for Venezuelans, he said “we’re looking at that very seriously.”

Two congressional panels have advanced bills granting protections to Venezuelans, which conflicts with Trump’s tough-on-immigration stance.

Trending:
KJP Panics, Hangs Up in Middle of Interview When Reporter Shows He Isn't a Democratic Party Propagandist

Carlos Vecchio, who serves as ambassador to Washington for Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, said at a Miami press conference Tuesday that he is confident that TPS or some other kind of relief for Venezuelans will come soon, either from the administration or from Congress.

The Trump administration was one of the first to recognized Guaidó as the legitimate president of Venezuela, a measure that was adopted later by more than 50 other nations.

Vecchio thanked Trump for accepting the expired passports of Venezuelans living in the United States, and urged Canada, Spain and Latin American countries to do the same.

On Friday, the opposition-controlled National Assembly approved the validity of Venezuelan passports for five years beyond their printed expiration dates. The same day, the State Department announced that the expired passports will be considered valid for visa applications and entry into the United State.

Around 4 million Venezuelans have fled their country in recent years and many of them don’t have a valid passport.

The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.

Truth and Accuracy

Submit a Correction →



We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.

Tags:
Share
The Associated Press is an independent, not-for-profit news cooperative headquartered in New York City. Their teams in over 100 countries tell the world’s stories, from breaking news to investigative reporting. They provide content and services to help engage audiences worldwide, working with companies of all types, from broadcasters to brands. Photo credit: @AP on Twitter
The Associated Press was the first private sector organization in the U.S. to operate on a national scale. Over the past 170 years, they have been first to inform the world of many of history's most important moments, from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and the bombing of Pearl Harbor to the fall of the Shah of Iran and the death of Pope John Paul.

Today, they operate in 263 locations in more than 100 countries relaying breaking news, covering war and conflict and producing enterprise reports that tell the world's stories.
Location
New York City




Conversation