Ava Week 7 - The New Family Addition

     Dayana, my stepmom who immigrated from Venezuala and became a US citizen, was ecstatic to see her 18-year-old nephew from Venezuela enter the states on November 3. On Oct 12, the DHS (the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced actions with Mexico to reduce dangerous migrations of Venezuelans to cross the Southwest border in order to facilitate a safely arranged migration process for people seeking to escape the economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. The journey from Venezuela to the US includes crossing the treacherous jungle between Colombia and Panama, avoiding drug traffickers and violence. The government is taking these measures to ensure legal entry to the US because last year almost four times as many Venezuelans attempted to cross our southern border, putting their lives in the hands of ruthless smuggling organizations. The DHS announced "Effective immediately, Venezuelans who enter the United States between ports of entry, without authorization, will be returned to Mexico. At the same time, the United States and Mexico are reinforcing their coordinated enforcement operations to target human smuggling organizations and bring them to justice." DHS also announced the permission of up to 24,000 eligible Venezuelans to migrate to the US via the airport, as long as they have a supporter in the US to support them financially, undergo a vigorous background check, and complete public health requirements such as vaccinations. In addition, Mexico will be accepting Venezuelans who attempt to bypass this process and attempt to enter the states illegally. It was a pleasant surprise when Dayana's nephew, Gabriel, was accepted for entry. Their hug seemed never ending when they reunited at the airport. Gabriel has been amazed by everything since his arrival, especially the fancy food. My family has been taking him to our favorite restaurants, which definitely differ from his favorite restaurant in Venezuela being Mcdonalds'. He lives in the guesthouse attached to our house and goes to work every day with my dad, working as a dental assistant. I'm so happy that Gabriel gets to experience life in America, and it's a reminder for me to never take my life for granted. I'm very thankful to live in Florida and I'm very thankful for my family. It's exciting to see what will unfold with the new family addition.



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