Trump Administration Ends Protection for Over 250,000 Venezuelans as Deportations Loom
- The Trump administration has ended temporary protection status for more than 256,000 Venezuelans, paving the way for their deportation
- The Department of Homeland Security said TPS encouraged irregular migration and no longer serves U.S. national interests
- The decision has sparked tensions with Venezuela, coming a day after U.S. forces struck a drug vessel linked to the Tren de Aragua group
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The Trump administration has moved to end temporary protection status (TPS) for more than 256,000 Venezuelan nationals living in the United States, a decision that will clear the path for mass deportations.
The protection, first introduced under President Joe Biden in 2021 and expanded in 2023, had granted Venezuelans work permits and a reprieve from removal.
Source: Getty Images
DHS cites national security reasons
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said the new policy was driven by national security and immigration concerns.
“Weighing public safety, national security, migration factors, immigration policy, economic considerations, and foreign policy, it’s clear that allowing Venezuelan nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is not in America’s best interest,” the official stated.
The administration argues that TPS has become a magnet encouraging irregular migration from Venezuela.
“Given Venezuela’s substantial role in driving irregular migration and the clear magnet effect created by Temporary Protected Status, maintaining or expanding TPS for Venezuelan nationals directly undermines the Trump Administration’s efforts to secure our southern border and manage migration effectively,” the DHS added.
The designation will officially end on September 10, giving Venezuelans under the program one week to prepare their exit.
Source: Getty Images
According to DHS, the termination will be effective 60 days after the Federal Register notice is published. In addition to those already under protection, nearly 3,800 pending new applications and more than 102,000 renewal requests will also be dismissed.
Trump made similar attempts in January
This is not the first time TPS for Venezuelans has faced elimination. Shortly after Trump returned to the White House, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem moved to cancel the program, saying Venezuelan migrants posed risks to U.S. interests.
A federal judge in California initially blocked the order, but the Supreme Court later sided with the administration, granting it the authority to proceed with removals.
Earlier this year, Trump also terminated Biden’s 2023 expansion of TPS, which affected about 348,000 Venezuelans.
Trump offers $1000 for self-deporters
DHS has announced that Venezuelans who voluntarily depart by registering through the CBP Home app will be offered free flights, a $1,000 exit incentive, and the possibility of future legal entry.
The move coincides with growing tension between Washington and Caracas. Just a day before the TPS decision, Trump disclosed that U.S. forces had destroyed a drug-laden vessel linked to Venezuela, killing 11 members of the Tren de Aragua group.
President Nicolas Maduro responded angrily, warning that any attack on Venezuela could spark a declaration of armed resistance.
The Pentagon has already stationed seven warships in the southern Caribbean, with Maduro calling the buildup an “unjustifiable and criminal threat.”
List of African immigrants scheduled for deportation from US
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the United States government had released updated data revealing that tens of thousands of African immigrants are currently listed for deportation.
The figures, current as of November 24, 2024, highlight the growing focus on immigration enforcement under the Trump administration, with nationals from Somalia, Mauritania, and Nigeria topping the list.
Source: Legit.ng
