Why Hundreds of Thousands of Migrants Cannot Be Deported
In one of his last actions as president, Joe Biden granted a significant extension of “Temporary Protected Status” to 600,000 Venezuelans, with many Americans unaware that his reasoning was largely based on misinformation.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) allows individuals to remain in the U.S. for 18 months, with the possibility of renewal, citing that their home countries are unsafe for their return.
“An 18-month TPS extension is justified due to the severe humanitarian emergency stemming from political and economic turmoil under the oppressive [Venezuelan President Nicolás] Maduro regime,” stated a Department of Homeland Security press release on January 10, 2025, highlighting issues like high crime rates, violence, and shortages of food, medicine, and basic services.
While Venezuela indeed faces dire circumstances, it is important to note that many of the Venezuelans protected from deportation were not residing in Venezuela.
The majority of thousands of Venezuelans crossing Biden’s open border had been living in stable, prosperous countries like Colombia, Ecuador, and Chile, where they had obtained asylum, residency, or were simply tolerated as residents.
Their decision to leave these countries was primarily motivated by the belief that Biden’s policies would allow them to enter the U.S. without scrutiny.
They sought higher wages rather than fleeing from danger.
During the past four years, I have interviewed numerous Venezuelans, and not a single one indicated they were coming directly from Venezuela.
“I loved Ecuador! It’s beautiful. The people are so kind. They value family. And the fruit, especially, is fantastic! Anything with onions is delicious!” exclaimed a well-presented Venezuelan woman I met in Juarez after she received U.S. entry permission through a humanitarian protection permit. “Ecuador is incredibly generous and beautiful.”
She reminisced fondly about her seven-year stay in Ecuador, where she enjoyed a comfortable life as a manager at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Quito, cherishing every moment.
The couple only considered leaving Ecuador after hearing that U.S. policies had suddenly become more welcoming to migrants seeking a richer lifestyle.
Similar stories emerged from Haitians who also benefited from Biden’s extended deportation protections.
Each one of them had been living safely in Chile and Brazil, where they had been welcomed in large numbers over the last decade.
Faced with the need to downplay this reality while crossing the U.S. border and claiming they couldn’t be sent back to Haiti due to extreme conditions, many chose to be deceitful.
They discarded any proof of their prior residency once they crossed the Rio Grande. I discovered numerous burned, torn, and discarded Chilean ID cards and Brazilian passports that could expose their fabrications to U.S. authorities.
Some of their children were born in those countries and held citizenship there.
One representative story I encountered involved a 24-year-old Haitian man I spoke with at a hostel filled with fellow countrymen in the northwestern town of La Cruz, Costa Rica, in 2021.
He and his brother had settled in Santiago, Chile, four years earlier, at the end of 2016, while Donald Trump was campaigning on promises of deporting undocumented immigrants.
While they waited out the Trump presidency, the young man mentioned he worked as a baker and an Uber Eats driver, earning very well and saving money. His brother was already in the U.S. and encouraged him to join him.
I questioned whether any hardships in Chile prompted him to head north.
“Did the Chilean government ever pose a threat to you?” I asked.
“No, that never happened there.”
“So, you felt no fear?”
“No, never.”
This individual spoke highly of Chile. He shared iPhone videos showcasing beautiful beaches he enjoyed and the vibrant nightlife in Santiago, all funded by his work which allowed him to afford trendy clothing from online retailers.
“It’s a wonderful country,” he affirmed regarding Chile.
The brothers only choose to leave that prosperous life due to the perception that Biden’s victory would make entering the States easier.
“That is the reason,” he clarified.
When asked to compare his life in Santiago to what he had left behind in Haiti, he quickly replied: “A thousand times better.”
So why seek entry at the U.S. border now, despite having a safe and fulfilling existence in Chile? I inquired.
“Because,” he replied with a laugh, “life in the United States will be a million times better.”
It will be essential for the Trump administration to diplomatically engage these nations to accept their citizens back.
Nevertheless, supporters of the administration must recognize that claims of impending doom about removing “protective status” from these vulnerable immigrant groups are blatant falsehoods.
Such deportations will not expose these immigrants to danger but instead return them to safe, welcoming homes they had known for years, which, in many instances, appreciated their presence.
It is crucial for the American public to understand that suggesting otherwise is misleading.
Todd Bensman, a senior national security fellow at the Center for Immigration Studies, is the author of “Overrun: How Joe Biden Unleashed the Greatest Border Crisis in U.S. History.”
