Jayapal Statement on Biden Administration Decision to Lift Certain Sanctions on Venezuela
WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, released the following statement in reaction to the announcement by the Biden administration that it plans to ease oil sanctions against Venezuela following agreement that the country would allow a free and fair election in 2024. Since the embargo, put in place by the Trump Administration, there has been an exponential increase in migration from Venezuela.
“I applaud the announcement by the Biden Administration that it will begin to lift many of the Trump-era broad-based economic sanctions that have inflicted significant suffering against the Venezuelan people. These punitive sanctions have served to increase migration throughout the region, harmed untold numbers of civilians, and exacerbated the situation at our southern border.
“The most effective way to address our border is to tackle the root causes of migration and expand legal pathways. The announcement to begin the lifting of these sanctions is an important step in the right direction, and I encourage further measures to reverse Trump’s broad-based economic sanctions to protect the lives and dignity of Venezuelans.”