This is the first time a program has been formed specifically for Ecuadorian migrants. The South American country has shown an uptick in violent crime and its economy has struggled in the past few years, fueling migration. A recent change in visa requirements from Mexico has pushed many to cross the dangerous Darién Gap.  

"[E]stablishing this process for certain Ecuadorian nationals will ensure more families can access lawful pathways rather than placing themselves at the mercy of smugglers to make the dangerous journey," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement. 

Separately, policy "whiplash" affects immigration agencies at more than just a surface level, writes Rafael Bernal for The Hill. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its three immigration-related agencies have a workforce tired of constant upheaval. And the mismatch between immigration laws and the needs of migrants and the American labor market increases the agencies’ challenges, Bernal notes.  

Welcome to Thursday’s edition of The Forum Daily. I’m Dan Gordon, the Forum’s strategic communications VP, and the great Forum Daily team also includes Jillian Clark, Clara Villatoro and Katie Lutz. If you have a story to share from your own community, please send it to me at [email protected].  

BRAZIL WELCOMES — Brazil is welcoming Venezuelan migrants as some take jobs in crucial sectors, report Andrew Rosati and Denise Lu of Bloomberg. A relocation program connects them with recruiters offering jobs, assists them with the visa process and offers government-funded transportation. The program is not only helping migrants who are searching for new opportunity, but also providing Brazil’s meat and agricultural industries with important labor resources. "The approach is an investment that can generate returns," said Pablo Acosta, lead economist for the World Bank’s Social Protection and Jobs unit. 

ST. LOUIS WELCOMES — The nonprofit International Institute of St. Louis is partnering with unions and other leaders to relocate hundreds of Latin American migrants from Chicago, reports Esther Yoon-Ji Kang for WBEZ. The program would look to alleviate pressure on Chicago’s resources while bolstering the population and workforce of St. Louis. Jerry Schlichter, an attorney and civic leader, said the program is meant "to increase our population, make a more vibrant St. Louis and a more diverse St. Louis, which is a benefit for everyone." 

VENEZUELA DEPORTATIONS — The U.S. has resumed deportation flights to Venezuela. The first plane, with nearly 130 deportees, landed in Caracas yesterday, report Liliana Salgado and Daniel Becerril of Reuters. U.S. and Venezuelan officials announced the restart of deportations for newer earlier this month. It followed the Biden administration’s July 31 grant of Temporary Protected Status to about half a million Venezuelans due to the country’s "instability and lack of safety."   

VITAL — Dallas has more international teachers on H-1B visas than any other school district in the country, reports Marcela Rodrigues for The Dallas Morning News. About 48% of Dallas Independent School District students do not speak English as a first language, and bilingual educators are in short supply, as is true nationwide. The rigorous visa process pays off when "students have a teacher in front of them on the first day of school," said Michele Andreason, the school district’s executive director of human capital management. 

Thanks for reading,  

Dan   

P.S. For those in D.C., don’t miss this weekend’s Immigration Film Festival. Héctor Alejandro Arzate of DCist highlights three films with local ties.