We at Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid (VIA) urgently and firmly raise our voices to express our deep concern regarding the recent immigration restrictions announced by the White House, as well as other policies adopted in different countries in the region, which disproportionately affect the Venezuelan migrant community.

We fully understand the sovereign right of each nation to establish its own immigration and security policies. However, as an organization that supports thousands of forcibly displaced people, we cannot remain silent in the face of the impact these measures have on a population that, for the most part, has fled a devastating political, economic, and humanitarian crisis.

Venezuela is facing a complex emergency that has forced nearly nine million people to leave their country in search of protection, and this is now considered the second-largest displacement crisis in the world, caused not by a conventional war but by a systematic process of institutional destruction driven by an authoritarian regime that, for more than 25 years, has undermined the fundamental rights, democracy, and quality of life of its people.

The recent executive order restricting entry to the United States, including the suspension of B1/B2, F, M, and J visas for citizens of several countries—including Venezuela—is a measure that, while not exclusively directed at our nation, impacts thousands of Venezuelans seeking legal and safe opportunities to reunite with their families, study, work, or undertake business.

At VIA, we strongly oppose the elimination of programs such as humanitarian parole (CHNV), TPS, or other mechanisms recognized by the US immigration system that provide temporary protection to people who truly qualify. These programs represent an orderly, safe, and humane path that should be strengthened, not canceled. Likewise, we condemn the collective criminalization and stigmatization promoted in some speeches and political decisions. We reject the use of the misdeeds of a minority to tarnish the dignity of a migrant community, the vast majority of whom are hardworking, law-abiding, and have a strong desire to contribute positively to their host countries. Generalizing, stigmatizing, and closing doors only fuels xenophobia, exclusion, and suffering.

The US government’s recent statement regarding the Venezuelan regime’s lack of cooperation in identity verification processes reflects the reality of profound institutional neglect experienced by Venezuelans. Obtaining a valid passport or official documents in Venezuela or from abroad is a highly fraught process, especially from the United States, where we do not have an embassy or consulate.  This exacerbates the vulnerability of our population. Under these conditions, the option of voluntary deportation or self-deportation to a third country is not viable for migrants who, despite having the resources, lack an identification document or a safe-conduct permit allowing them to travel.

At VIA, we are determined not to lose focus: the origin of this crisis is the repression, authoritarianism, corruption, and systematic negligence of those who have usurped power in Venezuela, and they are the ones directly responsible for the exodus and despair of millions of our compatriots. We will not forget this fact.  Nor will we allow the suffering of our people to be normalized.

We urge the authorities of the receiving countries to adopt a more humane and contextualized approach to the Venezuelan migration phenomenon. We reiterate to the international community the need to redouble efforts to address this crisis comprehensively and co-responsibly. And to our Venezuelan brothers and sisters, both at home and abroad, we reaffirm that in VIA, you will always find a voice that defends you, a hand that supports you, and an organization that firmly believes in your dignity, your resilience, and your right to a safe, legal, and just life.

Niurka Meléndez & Héctor Arguinzones
Co-Founders and Co-Directors
Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid (VIA)