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U.S. and Mexico agree to increase flow of Venezuelan migrants to U.S. soil

Daniel Stewart - 12h ago

The United States and Mexico reached an agreement Wednesday to increase the number of Venezuelan and Central American migrants legally entering U.S. soil in order to join the labor market.



Archive - Venezuelan migrants on their way to the U.S. - JUAN CARLOS HERNANDEZ / ZUMA PRESS / CONTACTOPHOTO© Provided by News 360

Specifically, the governments of the two countries will implement as of Wednesday a new system for requesting access to the United States that prioritizes entry by air and not through the border with Mexico, based on the "successful" implementation of the 'Uniting for Ukraine' program, as detailed in a statement by the Mexican Foreign Ministry.
The United States will issue 24,000 work visas annually to Venezuelans arriving in the country by plane to join the US labor market, for which they will have a period of two years. In addition, Washington will be able to deport Venezuelans who have entered the country illegally to Mexico.

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On the other hand, Mexico will receive 65,000 visas for temporary non-agricultural workers, of which 20,000 will be for people from Central America and Haiti. The remainder will be for citizens of Venezuelan origin.

"In a first stage, the new program is aimed at Venezuelan nationals. In this way, those persons seeking access to the United States will be able to do so in a more orderly, safe, regular and humane manner, discouraging the undocumented transit that puts their safety at risk when crossing the region", the Mexican Executive has defended, arguing that the new proposal represents "a significant and innovative advance".
"The Government of Mexico will strengthen its policies and programs to enforce the rights of migrants in our country, in close coordination with international organizations. The actions of both governments constitute a temporary scheme for the administration of the migratory flow that will be analyzed by both countries periodically in order to improve its implementation," the Executive stressed in the letter.
Both States have reiterated their support for international cooperation mechanisms for development, in order to provide opportunities directly to the communities of origin of migrants.

U.S. and Mexico agree to increase flow of Venezuelan migrants to U.S. soil (msn.com)