San Antonio – Data released this week by the US Department of Homeland Security reflect a notable increase in asylum seekers from three Latin American countries.

Data show a 175% increase in individuals seeking refuge from Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua from August 2021 to August 2022.

John Taylor, a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, believes there may be a link between the influx of immigrants and the policies of the current Biden administration.

“Mexico has agreed to keep immigrants from Honduras, El Salvador and Central America out of the United States. There is nothing in the agreement on Nicaragua or Cuba or Venezuela,” Taylor said.

KSAT 12 also spoke with an economics expert from Trinity University. He said global inflation could also be a factor driving immigration to the United States.

“Inflation in Venezuela was very high, in the thousands of percent.

Joel Maldonado said the economic situation was a big part of why he and his family fled Venezuela to Texas.

“Twelve dollars a week. You can’t even survive on it. Who survives on $12,” he said.

Maldonado said his daily salary in his home country was about $2 a day, enough to buy rice and flour for his groceries.

Kevin Barrientes, who also sought asylum from Venezuela, said crime was the driving force that drove him out of his home.he wants to have a better life in America

“Everyone has the right to say, ‘I have a chance to live healthy,'” Valientes said.

The Biden administration has not announced plans to approach this influx differently in the past.

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