Outgoing United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday suspended the deportation of Venezuelan irregular immigrants for an 18-month period and also granted them temporary work permits.
Trump took these measures on his last day in power, as Democrat Joe Biden will hold the presidency on Wednesday.
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In a White House statement, Trump said that “the deteriorating situation in Venezuela justifies the postponement of the deportation of Venezuelan citizens present in the United States.”
The president still believed that his decision, which would benefit those who remain in the country from January 20, was in line with the “importance of the United States’ foreign policy.”
The measure has some exceptions and does not apply to people who have previously been deported or who have been convicted of one or two crimes.
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The deteriorating situation in Venezuela justifies the postponement of the deportation
In addition to the order to suspend deportations, the still president approved “work permits for foreigners whose deportation has been postponed … for the duration of said postponement.”
Trump’s decision is a nod to the Venezuelan community in the United States, mostly Florida residents, who have supported him during these four years for his fighting spirit against Nicolás Maduro’s administration.
In fact, on the same Tuesday, Washington approved yet another economic sanctions against Caracas, this time for members of an alleged network aimed at commercializing Venezuelan crude oil while circumventing US sanctions.
US President Donald Trump and Venezuelan President-in-charge Juan Guaidó at a meeting at the White House.
Since his arrival at the White House in 2017, the Trump administration has imposed countless rounds of economic sanctions on the Maduro Executive, whom it considers “ illegal. ”
The US is one of the most loyal allies of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who was recognized as the nation’s legitimate president in 2019.
The Venezuelan government hopes that the new administration of Democrat Joe Biden, who will hold the US presidency tomorrow, will receive “a glimpse of decency”, abide by international law and establish “diplomatic channels for respectful dialogue”.
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EFE