Venezuelan mom's year-long path leads to new US protection status
A Venezuelan motherʼs tough journey through Americas ends with unexpected legal status in US. Recent policy changes now give hope to migrants from 17 different countries
Last year Maribel Hidalgo made a life-changing choice - leaving Venezuela with her one-year old baby boy. Their path to safety wasnt easy‚ as they moved through the dense jungle-filled Darien Gap (a dangerous stretch between South and Central America) and later took trains across Mexico.
The mother-and-child duo settled in US territory‚ where recent policy shifts brought unexpected good news: the Biden administration rolled-out temporary protected status for Venezuelan nationals. This new-found legal protection lets qualified people stay and work in america.
The governmentʼs immigration program now helps folks from many places:
- Haiti
- Afghanistan
- Sudan
- Lebanon
- Other nations facing tough situations
The temporary protected status applies to those already living in the US - its a special permit that recognizes when people cant safely return to their home countries
