September 20, 2023 (NEW YORK, NY) – The Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless issued the following statement in response to the Biden Administration’s extension and re-designation of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans in the United States on or before July 31, 2023: “By extending and re-designating Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans, the Biden Administration has created a legal pathway for thousands of our newest neighbors to find stability and secure employment. We applaud the White House’s recognition of the on-going humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, and urge Washington to continue to work towards humane and just immigration reform. “We hope that this is the beginning of the White House devoting increased aid to New York City to ensure that the new arrivals are provided the assistance they need after experiencing unimaginable hardship and trauma to get here. “Lastly, we look forward to seeing Governor Kathy Hochul’s plan to connect newly arrived Venezuelans with employment and resettlement opportunities throughout New York State.” Background:Last month, Legal Aid, the Coalition for the Homeless and more than 100 other organizations from around New York State representing advocates, services providers, and faith groups issued a letter to Governor Kathy Hochul urging her to develop a comprehensive statewide decompression and resettlement plan for the new arrivals and to immediately prioritize deploying state resources to ensure sufficient temporary housing capacity for new arrivals and other unhoused New Yorkers. In July, Legal Aid and the Coalition for the Homeless also called on the City to advance a variety of reforms to increase shelter capacity.
