New York governor calls in the National Guard to address the immigration crisis

New York Governor Kathy Hochul reported that she is calling in 150 members of the National Guard to help manage the immigration crisis in the state. They will assist in case management to obtain work permits for asylum seekers, particularly Venezuelans who now qualify for temporary protected status (TPS).

The 150 additional members bring the total of National Guardsmen helping to address the immigration crisis to 2,200. Hochul explained that 250 members of the National Guard will focus solely on case management to help Venezuelans who arrived before July 31 to apply for Temporary Protected Status and work permits.

"Now that we have the opportunity granted by President Biden to help the Venezuelans who came before July 31st be able to apply for temporary protective status and what follow that literally with the same application, is the work authorization -- that coveted work authorization. That's their ticket to the American Dream," said the Democrat in statements reported by Fox News.

TPS for Venezuelans

The governor's decision comes after Joe Biden's administration announced last Wednesday it would renew and expand the immigration permit known as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans, which would allow more than 472,000 people to work and reside legally in the United States.

The measure was announced by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, who determined that an 18-month extension of TPS and a new assignment is warranted due to Venezuela's growing instability and lack of security. The policy provides temporary protection from deportation, as well as employment authorization for people who arrived in the United States before July 31, 2023. Until now, only those Venezuelans who had been in the country since March 2021 could apply for TPS.