Yael Schacher, director for the Americas and Europe at Refugees International: “Venezuelan applicants for the program need a passport and a financial supporter in the United States. It is a temporary immigration program rather than a refugee program; it is geared toward Venezuelans with means, documents and U.S. ties, unlike the majority of Venezuelan asylum seekers released at the U.S. border in recent weeks. Descriptions of the program refer to these Venezuelans as ‘irregular migrants’ rather than as asylum seekers. The program relies on a suspension of refugee law at the U.S. border and, further, coordination with other countries to prevent asylum seeking as well. Venezuelans who cross into Panama or Mexico without authorization are ineligible for the program. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said expulsion would be the consequence for Venezuelans ‘who choose to not avail themselves’ of the program. But the program started suddenly. Many Venezuelans already in Mexico, Panama or Central American countries in between do not have…”