Trump administration withdraws Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from some 300,000 Venezuelans

Donald Trump's administration decided to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for some 300,000 Venezuelans currently residing in the United States. The measure, not yet official, was reported on February 2 by The New York Times, which cited an internal order from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The revocation will affect Venezuelans who received TPS in 2023, who will lose their status within 60 days after the publication of the order. DHS justified the move by a review of "country conditions," concluding that continuing TPS is against U.S. national interests.

This change comes after the Trump administration eliminated a TPS extension approved at the end of Joe Biden's term, which would have allowed beneficiaries to remain until October 2026. The cancellation of this extension represents a significant blow to those who had hoped for greater protection.

TPS, which was granted to more than 600,000 Venezuelans due to the political crisis in their country, has allowed them to live and work legally in the U.S. on a temporary basis. However, the revocation will not affect all beneficiaries immediately, as some 250,000 Venezuelans who obtained TPS before September 2023 will remain protected.

In addition, this measure comes after the announcement that Venezuela will accept to receive its deported citizens from the U.S. Trump had already tried to eliminate TPS for other countries during his first term, but several of those attempts were blocked by the courts.

With this new policy, the Trump administration takes one more step towards the elimination of temporary immigration protections, which generates uncertainty among Venezuelan migrants who depend on this status for their stay in the country.