NewsNational News

Actions

US offers residency to Venezuelans and will review sanctions

Venezuela Chavez Anniversary
Posted at 8:32 PM, Mar 08, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-08 20:32:30-05

The Biden administration is offering temporary legal residency to several hundred thousand Venezuelans who fled their country's economic collapse and will review the U.S. sanctions aimed at isolating the South American nation.

The administration announced Monday that it would allow Venezuelans already in the country to apply for temporary protected status. An estimated 320,000 Venezuelans would be eligible to live and work in the country for 18 months as a result.

A senior administration official said sanctions imposed under former President Donald Trump have failed to force President Nicolas Maduro to hold free and fair elections and would be reviewed, though President Joe Biden is “in no rush” to lift them.