Washington D.C. – A bipartisan push is underway in the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the Venezuelan Adjustment Law (HR 1348),a legislative proposal that could offer a pathway to permanent residency for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan nationals currently in the United States. The bill, reintroduced by Republican Representative María Elvira Salazar and Democrats Darren Soto, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Frederica wilson, is currently under evaluation by the House Judiciary Committee.
If approved, the law is expected to benefit more than 400,000 Venezuelans in the US. Key provisions include the automatic cancellation of previous deportation orders and the issuance of a work permit after 180 days with an active submission, alongside a suspension of removals while applications are processed.
However, the law would not be universally applicable to all Venezuelans in the U.S. Individuals with certain criminal convictions would be automatically disqualified from applying for residency under the proposed legislation. Specific disqualifying factors have not been detailed in available reports, but generally include aggravated felonies and crimes involving moral turpitude.
Democratic Representative Darren Soto emphasized the urgency of the bill, stating, “While the Trump administration continue stripping the Venezuelans of your probation, Temporary protection status (TPS) and other protections, It is indeed crucial that we join and fight for thier safety.”
Representative Salazar framed the bill as a response to the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, attributing it to the “oppression of Nicolás Maduro regime” and the “failure of 21st century socialism.” She stated, “I am proud to reintroduce the Venezuelan adjustment law to provide refuge to those who have supported astonishing suffering, so that they do not have to return home and face the wrath of the dictatorship.”
to become law, the bill must pass both the House of Representatives and the Senate before being signed into law by President Trump.
