There was renewed hope after the Biden Administration announced it is offering Temporary Protected Status to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants.

The Manhattan-based nonprofit organization, Project Rousseau, provides immigration legal services and social services.

“Today there has been a sense of euphoria, a sense of moving forward, a sense of we can move forward with our lives,” Andrew Heinrich, founder and supervising attorney of Project Rousseau, said.

Heinrich was helping migrants fill out the applications.

“Our Venezuelan clients are incredibly excited so are all of our clients because they realize the release on the pressure valve of the immigration legal system allows everyone to have more attention paid to their case and takes of pressure from the homeless shelters of New York City,” Heinrich said.

Under TPS, Venezuelans who arrived in the United States on or before July 31 of this year are eligible for legal status for 18 months. They can also apply to legally work without having to wait 180 days.

One of the people getting help is Amlidey de Jesus Alvarez Amador. She and her daughters arrived in New York from Venezuela in October of last year.

“It took about two months through eight countries to come here,” Amador said through a translator.

Right now she’s been working teaching some of her daughters’ classmates and their parents Spanish and hopes to get more work now with the help of TPS.

“I was a teacher back in Venezuela and I’m looking to get something along those lines,” Amador said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams praise the White House for making this decision.

“Temporary Protected Status simply gives them a shorter window after for which they can apply for their asylum or work,” Hochul said.

“We can allow the process of allowing them to go from asylum seekers to job seekers every time I speak with asylum seekers. That’s all they ask for. They want to work, they want to contribute to the American experience,” Adams said.

In the meantime, Project Rousseau is booked, with more Venezuelans ready to complete their applications, like Amador, who is ready to work in New York.

“A lot of happiness and thankfulness,” Amador said.

Project Rousseau says some employers from a number of industries like hospitality, food and babysitting services are reaching out to them looking for workers.