The Trump administration has canceled an extension of deportation protections granted to Venezuelans, a measure affecting more than 600,000 people residing in the United States. This extension, initially implemented under President Joe Biden, was intended to provide refuge to Venezuelans fleeing political instability and economic crisis in their home country.
As The New York Times highlighted on January 28, 2025, this revocation is part of the Trump administration’s more restrictive immigration policy.
According to The New York Times, the decision was made by Kristi Noem, the new Secretary of Homeland Security.
She ended the 18-month extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) granted under the Biden administration. This program, designed for migrants unable to safely return to their home countries due to conflicts or disasters, provided legal residency and work permits until fall 2026.
Following this revocation, Venezuelan nationals residing in the United States now face an imminent risk of deportation. However, this decision will almost certainly be challenged in court.
DHS officials defended the decision, arguing that the previous administration had acted hastily in granting the extension. “Given the exceptionally short timeframe since its implementation, the extension cannot be maintained,” stated a DHS memo cited by The New York Times. The Trump administration has consistently criticized TPS, arguing that the program has deviated from its original purpose and has become a backdoor path to permanent residency, The New York Times reported.
During his first presidency, Mr. Trump had already attempted to terminate TPS for several nationalities, including Haitians and Salvadorans, but those efforts were blocked by federal courts. Noem now has until Saturday to decide on a possible alternative extension for Venezuelans who obtained TPS in 2023. If no decision is made by the deadline, protections will automatically be extended for six months, according to The New York Times.
This new policy shift has sparked serious concerns among immigrant rights advocates.
In a statement to The New York Times, Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a representative of the American Immigration Council, expressed his concerns: “With this decision, Secretary Noem is throwing more than 600,000 people into administrative limbo. These individuals will remain uncertain about their legal status until the end of the year.”
The Biden administration had justified its initial TPS extension by citing the dire humanitarian situation in Venezuela. “Maduro’s oppressive regime has created a major political and economic crisis, characterized by rampant crime, food and medical shortages, and widespread instability,” the Department of Homeland Security under the Biden administration explained, as reported by The New York Times.
As Saturday’s deadline approaches, the Venezuelan community and its supporters anxiously await the Trump administration’s next moves. The outcome could have major repercussions on the legal status and living conditions of hundreds of thousands of people, as well as significant economic implications for industries relying on TPS-protected labor.
Venezuela was not the only country redesignated for TPS. El Salvador, Ukraine, and Sudan had also been granted a renewed Temporary Protected Status.
For Haitian beneficiaries, TPS is currently extended until February 2026, unless the far-right president decides to rescind it before its expiration. He had taken a similar decision during his first term, but a federal judge ordered TPS to be reinstated pending a final court ruling, which has yet to be issued.