TAMPA, Fla. — Local immigration attorneys say Venezuelans are celebrating the end of Nicolás Maduro's leadership, but remain uncertain about the future of Venezuela.
Paul Palacios is an immigration attorney in Tampa. He grew up in Venezuela, but says he has not returned since 2009.
"I grew up in a time where it was still a stable country, you know. There's a lot of poverty," he said. "Last time I was in Venezuela, maybe 2009 or so, just too dangerous for me to go back so never went back since, but still have family there."
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He said his clients are wondering what will happen to their pending asylum cases since Maduro's removal.
"You come here and you say I was persecuted in Venezuela because of my political opinion, those are most of the cases, right, so you have to show them not only were you persecuted, but you have a fear of future persecution in Venezuela," said Palacios.
He said there's uncertainty about the future of Venezuela.
"My opinion, they have to proceed just like they were before if they're asking for asylum, they have to proceed as nothing has happened because you don't really know how this is going to end," he said.
Renata Castro is an immigration attorney with USA4ALL. She said about 10%-15% of her clients are Venezuelans who are seeking asylum.
"I am particularly apprehensive over how that's going to impact the pending asylum of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of asylum applications pending by Venezuelans in the state of Florida and throughout the United States as they allege the risk of future persecution by the Maduro regime if they were brought back to Venezuela," said Castro.
Castro said it would be more dangerous for asylum seekers to return to Venezuela.
"Sending Venezuelans back to Venezuela particularly those that have suffered persecution could be a death sentence for them because Venezuela right now is no man's land," she said.
"Nothing has changed and it's probably more dangerous," said Palacios.
Castro encourages Venezuelans seeking asylum to seek legal advice.
"Now more than ever, it is essential to appear in immigration court with an immigration attorney with as much evidence of past and future persecution as possible," she said.
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