Colombia urgently needs help with the economic integration of Venezuelan immigrants
Colombia’s landmark Estatuto de Protección Temporal for Venezuelan migrants and refugees has brought relief to many Venezuelans in Colombia who require legal status to find jobs, secure access to the public health system, and sign up for a bank account, among other benefits. While Colombia could do more to ensure the full social and economic integration of this migrant population, the government is hamstrung by its own fiscal constraints, high unemployment, and political polarization. The international community must heed this urgent call to action before it is too late.