Trump administration strips Venezuelans of latest protection from deportation
Venezuelans in the U.S. will lose approximately one year of temporary protection from deportation granted earlier this month by outgoing President Joe Biden.
On Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem canceled the latest extension of Temporary Protected Status issued by Biden, which allowed eligible Venezuelans to stay legally and work through Oct. 2, 2026.
Venezuelans who have had TPS since March 11, 2024, will see it end on Sept. 10 of this year.
Temporary Protected Status is granted to people already in the United States who are unable to return to their country because of conditions there, such as natural disasters or political upheaval.
People with TPS are not eligible to get on a path to citizenship unless sponsored by an employer or family member. The protection usually is valid for several months and has to be renewed by the president, who usually consults with DHS and the Department of State about the country’s conditions. If the protection is renewed by the president, TPS beneficiaries must reapply for it.
About 600,000 Venezuelans were eligible for extended TPS in January, when Biden extended the protection.
Venezuela has been in the throes of an economic, humanitarian and political crisis that has driven millions of its citizens out of the country, many desperate for basic necessities such as food and safety.
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance had said during the campaign that they might scale back TPS and its implementation in order to carry out the mass deportations Trump pledged to his supporters.
