Gisela Salomon, Author at The Rapid City Post

Iris Wilthew holds a poster in support of Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, in Doral, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

A look at how Venezuelans in the US are reacting to Maria Corina Machado’s Nobel Prize win

October 10, 2025

Venezuelans in the U.S. are welcoming the news that opposition leader leader Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Price. However, they acknowledge her win does little to help those facing deportation threats. Machado has aligned herself with President Donald Trump’s policy on Venezuela as she fights for democracy to the country. The Trump administration has ended programs that allowed over 700,000 Venezuelans to live and work legally in the U.S. The government has deported hundreds, citing security threats. Millions of Venezuelans have fled economic and political instability since 2014, with over a million settling in the U.S.

Paola Freites, who asked to be identified by her middle name and second last name to protect her family's safety, stands inside the two-bedroom mobile home where she lives with her husband and three children after fleeing persecution in their native Colombia, Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025, in Apopka, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Florida was a top destination for immigrants who came to the US under Biden

October 1, 2025

Florida has seen a significant increase in immigration, with thousands of migrants arriving under former President Joe Biden. Government data obtained by The Associated Press shows that no state was more affected by the immigrant surge under Biden. Florida had 1,271 migrants who arrived from May 2023 to January 2025 for every 100,000 residents, followed by New York, California, Texas and Illinois. Many immigrants have settled in areas like Orlando, drawn by the Latino community and job opportunities. The influx has boosted Florida’s economy, with immigrants contributing to various sectors. However, with President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, many now fear detention. Community organizations have expanded to support the growing immigrant population.

FILE - Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump salutes at a campaign rally at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center, Oct. 11, 2024, in Aurora, Colo. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

Trump administration ends legal protections for half-million Haitians who now face deportations

June 27, 2025

The Department of Homeland Security says that it is terminating legal protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitians, setting them up for potential deportation. DHS says that conditions in Haiti have improved and Haitians no longer meet the conditions for the temporary legal protections. The termination applies to about 500,000 Haitians who are already in the United States, some of whom have lived here for more than a decade. The Department of State, nonetheless, has not changed its travel advisory and still recommends Americans “do not travel to Haiti due to kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and limited health care.”

Trump administration tells immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela they have to leave

June 12, 2025

The Department of Homeland Security is notifying hundreds of thousands of Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans that their temporary permission to live and work in the United States has been revoked and they should leave the country. The termination notices are being sent by email to about 532,000 people who came to the country under the humanitarian parole program created by the Biden administration. They arrived with financial sponsors and were given two-year permits to live and work in the U.S.

A young man arrives at a travel agency on Thursday, June 5, 2025, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Trump banned travel from 12 countries, but included some exceptions to avoid legal battles

June 6, 2025

The new travel ban on citizens of 12 countries that restricted access to people from seven others includes some exceptions. Part of the administration’s efforts to withstand the legal challenges that a similar policy known as the “Muslim ban” faced during its first administration. Some exceptions apply only for specific countries, like Afghanistan. Others are for most of the countries on the list, or are more general and unclear, like the policies for foreign visitors planning to come to the U.S. for the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Wilmer Escaray talks about his concerns about the future of his employees and customers during an interview inside a franchise of "Sabor Venezolano," one of 18 businesses he owns which employ scores of Venezuelan immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) who are now potentially exposed to deportation, in Doral, Fla., Tuesday, May 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

US business owners are confused about Venezuelan employees with temporary status

May 20, 2025

Businesses face uncertainty after the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to strip legal protections from 350,000 Venezuelans. The Miami-area city of Doral is home to the largest Venezuelan community in the United States. It’s coming to grips with Monday’s court decision. Some attorneys advise a case-by-case approach and urge employers and Venezuelans alike to explore alternatives to continue working legally. Venezuelan beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status work in the hospitality, construction, agriculture, health care, retail, and restaurant sectors. A restaurant owner in Doral says he is stressed after the ruling. Wilmer Escaray says at least 70% of his 150 employees are Venezuelan immigrants with Temporary Protected Status.

Gisela Salomon.