Biden allows more Venezuelan migrants to go to work

The Biden administration on Wednesday extended temporary protection to more than 470,000 migrants from Venezuela who arrived in the United States before July 31. Migrants must apply for the protected status, which makes it easier for them to work in the United States legally. Migrants who crossed the border after July are not eligible to apply for the program. Previously, only Venezuelans who arrived before March 2021 qualified for temporary legal status.

Why did the administration extend the protections? Officials in New York and Chicago have called on the federal government to alleviate the strain put on housing and public services by non-working migrants flooding in. Other places have experienced similar challenges as illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border have risen recently. The city of Eagle Pass, Texas, on Wednesday declared an emergency after more than 4,000 migrants crossed into the city over two days. The Biden administration on Wednesday also said it would deploy 800 active-duty troops to assist border patrol.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report in Compassion about the legal battle over the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program.