Trump Administration Revokes Temporary Protected Status for Nearly 600,000 Venezuelans
WASHINGTON — In a move swiftly condemned by Democrats, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) under Secretary Kristi Noem revoked the temporary protected status (TPS) extension for approximately 600,000 Venezuelans. This decision, first reported by *The New York Times*, was detailed in an unpublished Federal Register document obtained by States Newsroom. The revocation, effective immediately, undoes an 18-month extension granted by the Biden administration just prior to the change in administration, leaving the future of these individuals uncertain.
Secretary Noem, confirmed by the Senate on Saturday, justified the reversal by citing what she deemed a premature renewal decision by her predecessor, former Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. In her confirmation hearing, Noem expressed disapproval of the Biden administration’s handling of the TPS program, suggesting it had been “abused and manipulated” and that a reevaluation of participating countries was necessary. This stance aligns with the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement priorities, which include mass deportations and a crackdown on pathways to legal residency established during the previous administration.
The revocation impacts two groups of Venezuelan nationals: those granted TPS in 2021, whose protections expire September 10th (with a July 12th deadline for Noem to decide on renewal), and those granted TPS in 2023, whose protections expire April 2nd (with a decision deadline of this Saturday). The differing deadlines stem from the two separate filing processes created by the initial 2021 designation and its subsequent expansion in 2023.
This action is expected to face significant legal challenges. The Trump administration’s prior attempts to terminate TPS for several other nations, including Haiti, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Sudan, were blocked by courts in 2018. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) has already denounced the move as “cruel, misinformed, and illegal,” asserting that the DHS lacks the authority to revoke the Venezuelan TPS extension.
The TPS program currently covers 17 countries facing ongoing conflict, disaster, or other unstable conditions deemed unsafe for repatriation. The revocation of the Venezuelan TPS extension underscores the Trump administration’s hardline approach to immigration policy and highlights the continuing legal and political battle over the future of Temporary Protected Status in the United States.
Last updated 12:05 p.m., Jan. 29, 2025
By Ariana Figueroa, Minnesota Reformer
(Note: The following material is boilerplate information from the original article and is included for context and completeness. It is not part of the rewritten news story itself.)
[Include boilerplate information about Minnesota Reformer, its affiliation with States Newsroom, republishing guidelines, copyright information, and contact details here.]