Venezuelan immigration at the US-Mexico border drops by 50%

The number of Venezuelans illegally crossing the US-Mexico border has decreased significantly since deportation flights resumed last month, according to data from Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). The statistics show a 46% drop in such arrivals. In early October, President Joe Biden's administration announced plans to deport Venezuelans who did not qualify for asylum or temporary legal status. Over the past few years, more than seven million people have fled Venezuela. The CBP figures released on Tuesday revealed that border agents apprehended 29,637 Venezuelans at the border last month, a sharp decline from the record high of 54,833 in September. Overall, illegal border crossings in October decreased by 14% compared to September's figures of nearly 219,000. Deportation flights to Venezuela began on October 18, with hundreds of Venezuelans being sent back home. Acting CBP Commissioner Troy Miller stated that the resumption of removal flights, aimed at delivering consequences for those who unlawfully cross the border, had contributed to the significant decline in Venezuelan illegal migrant detentions. In September, the US government also announced that around 472,000 Venezuelans would be eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. Those granted TPS status are allowed to work while waiting for their asylum cases to be heard. The influx of Venezuelan migrants into cities like New York, Denver, and Chicago has become a politically contentious issue, with some Democratic officials criticizing the Biden administration for its handling of the situation. Mayor Eric Adams of New York City, for instance, blamed the federal government for not providing enough assistance to help the city accommodate and provide services for newly arrived migrants. The collapse of Venezuela's economy under socialist President Nicolás Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, has led to this mass exodus.