Trump Administration Ends Key Immigration Protections for Venezuelans

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The Trump administration is ending a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Venezuelan migrants, potentially stripping deportation protections and work permits from around 350,000 individuals this spring, according to a CBS News report.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revoked one of two TPS designations for Venezuela, citing concerns over the strain on U.S. communities and the presence of Venezuelan criminal gangs. Migrants protected under a 2021 TPS designation will keep their status until September, but their protections may also be phased out.

The move aligns with broader efforts by the Trump administration to curb humanitarian immigration programs, including those benefiting Cubans, Haitians, and Nicaraguans. While some Republicans support protections for Venezuelans, Noem argued TPS encourages illegal immigration.

The Biden administration had expanded TPS protections, citing Venezuela’s political and economic crisis. Trump officials, however, see the program as overly extended despite its intended temporary nature.