US asylum applications filed by Venezuelans have jumped 168% in October 2016-June 2016, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of US Citizenship and Immigration Services data.
During this period, a total of 10,221 applications were filed, a considerable rise from 3,810 filed during the same time period the year before.
Venezuela now ranks third among the nations with more asylum applicants to the US, trailing only China (11,826) and Mexico (10,749).
After the US, Venezuelans’ second-most common destination country is Spain, which is home to some 150,000 nationals.
According to the Pew’s report, only in June 2016, applications reached 1,370, a sharp change from February 2014, when only 92 Venezuelans applied for asylum.
