In a significant policy shift, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the termination of protections that previously sheltered around 600,000 Venezuelans from deportation. This change, effective immediately, is part of the Trump administration’s overarching strategy to enforce stricter immigration policies and implement a major deportation initiative, potentially affecting a significant number of individuals who have relied on Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
Noem’s decision reverses a move made by her predecessor, Alejandro Mayorkas, who in the last days of the Biden administration, extended TPS protections for Venezuelans for an additional 18 months. Speaking on “Fox and Friends,” Noem criticized the previous extension, claiming it allowed individuals to remain in the U.S. while supposedly violating immigration laws. “We stopped that,” she confirmed, indicating a tougher stance on this matter.
The reversal has left many Venezuelans feeling anxious and uncertain about their future. Caren Añez, a single mother who was granted TPS in 2024 after entering the U.S. legally, expressed her distress over the situation. Añez fled Venezuela due to safety concerns stemming from her work as an independent news reporter and emphasized that returning home is not an option for her due to the danger to her life. “I cannot enter Venezuela because my life is in danger,” she stated.
Since 2013, more than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left their country due to a crumbling economy and political turmoil under President Nicolas Maduro. While a majority have settled in nearby Latin American countries, many are now seeking opportunities in the U.S., particularly following the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent survey indicated that nearly one in four Venezuelans contemplated emigrating if Maduro was re-elected, which occurred earlier this month despite widespread allegations of electoral fraud.
Protections under the Biden administration had been in place until October 2026; however, with Noem’s latest action, these now revert to two separate deadlines—one in April and another in September of this year. Without these protections, Venezuelans could lose their ability to work legally in the U.S. and face potential deportation.
Noem has until Saturday to make a decision regarding the Venezuelans facing an April expiration of their protections and until July 12 for those with a September expiration. If she chooses not to act, the protections would automatically be extended for an additional six months.
The U.S. lacks diplomatic ties with Venezuela, which complicates the process of deportation for Venezuelans. Federal regulations permit the cancellation of TPS, but such actions are rare and have led to legal challenges in the past, particularly during the Trump administration’s attempts to eliminate these protections.
The National TPS Alliance, a group advocating for affected immigrants, has signaled its intent to contest this decision in court. TPS was established by Congress in 1990 to shield individuals from nations facing environmental disasters or other crises, allowing for work authorization in 18-month intervals.
Currently, around 1 million immigrants from 17 countries benefit from TPS, including many from Venezuela, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ukraine, and Lebanon. While TPS grants individuals legal status in the U.S., it does not offer a straightforward route to citizenship, creating dependence on the government to renew their status over time.
In its final days, the Biden administration extended protections to over 230,000 Salvadorans, 103,000 Ukrainians, and 1,900 Sudanese already in the U.S. Noem’s announcement did not clarify the fate of these groups, as the present DHS notice focused exclusively on Venezuelan protections.
This policy change has raised concerns among immigrant advocacy groups regarding the implications for those who have established their lives in the United States under TPS.
