MI Responds: Biden Administration Gives Nearly 500,000 Venezuelan Migrants Temporary Protected Status

New York, NY – Last night, the Biden administration announced that they will "allow nearly half a million Venezuelan migrants to work legally." Manhattan Institute fellow Daniel Di Martino, an immigration scholar and Venezuelan immigrant, comments:

“The redesignation of Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) won't help solve the border crisis. Indeed, it may worsen it if migrants are led to believe more redesignations are coming so that they, too, might qualify. The border crisis can only end through much stricter enforcement and through congressional action to accelerate the asylum process.

“On the other hand, TPS is welcome news for nearly half a million Venezuelan migrants already here, as they will now be able to work legally. Economic research shows this will result in increased earnings for both these migrants and for their American counterparts, since unauthorized workers have less bargaining power against employers and drive wages down. Increased immigrant earnings also mean more tax revenue for both states and the federal government.

“New York Governor Kathy Hochul asked President Biden to redesignate Venezuela for TPS so that migrants overwhelming the city could work and—in theory—leave the shelters provided for them under New York's "right to shelter" policy. She will soon find out that, even if migrants can work legally, they won't leave the shelter unless they're forced to provide for themselves.”

- Daniel Di Martino is a Manhattan Institute graduate fellow. He’s available for media and widely experienced on live broadcast. Watch him discussing how immigrants see the U.S. here, and follow him on X @DanielDiMartino.

Media inquiries can be directed to press officer Nicolas Abouchedid at nabouchedid@manhattan.institute.