Del Real Deisy
University of Southern California.
J Ethn Migr Stud. 2022;48(15):3580-3601. doi: 10.1080/1369183x.2022.2029374. Epub 2022 Jan 22.
Venezuelans constitute the second largest displaced population globally. Most Venezuelans move to Colombia, where the government incorporates them through administrative legalization programs. While the international community has praised Colombia's governmental response, this article demonstrates that these programs provide Venezuelans with liminal legality. Existing liminal legality research indicates that recipients are highly aware of the fragility of their legal status because they live in hostile political contexts with complicated legalization procedures. However, the present article argues that liminal legality in inclusive political contexts such as Columbia-with straightforward application procedures, pro-immigrant political discourse, and weak immigration enforcement-hide this legal status' fragility and illegality production features. Empirically, the study draws on in-depth interviews with Venezuelan migrants in Bogotá, D.C. Findings show that most liminal legality recipients want to reside legally in Colombia and experience their legal status with a sense of state protection. Though, their sense of security inhibits their efforts to acquire legal permanent residency. Conversely, undocumented Venezuelans tend to have the fewest resources before emigrating, cannot meet the liminal legality requirements, and experience all forms of legality as unattainable. Broadly, governments who seek to legalize migrants need to include direct pathways to citizenship and lower the legal residency requirements.
委内瑞拉人是全球第二大流离失所群体。大多数委内瑞拉人前往哥伦比亚，该国政府通过行政合法化计划接纳他们。尽管国际社会对哥伦比亚政府的应对措施表示赞赏，但本文表明，这些计划为委内瑞拉人提供的是一种临界合法性。现有的临界合法性研究表明，接受者高度意识到其法律地位的脆弱性，因为他们生活在政治环境恶劣且合法化程序复杂的地方。然而，本文认为，在像哥伦比亚这样具有包容性的政治环境中的临界合法性——其申请程序简单、存在支持移民的政治话语且移民执法力度较弱——掩盖了这种法律地位的脆弱性和非法性产生的特征。从实证角度来看，该研究基于对哥伦比亚特区波哥大的委内瑞拉移民的深入访谈。研究结果表明，大多数具有临界合法性的人希望合法居住在哥伦比亚，并在国家保护的意识下体验其法律地位。然而，他们的安全感阻碍了他们获得合法永久居留权的努力。相反，无证委内瑞拉人在移民前往往资源最少，无法满足临界合法性要求，并且认为所有形式的合法身份都遥不可及。总体而言，寻求使移民合法化的政府需要纳入获得公民身份的直接途径，并降低合法居留要求。
