On January 29, 2025, the U.S. government announced the revocation of the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans, which was previously approved by the Biden administration until October 2026. The current TPS, allowing over 600,000 Venezuelans to work and reside legally in the U.S., is set to expire on September 10, 2025.
Kristi Noem, the newly appointed Secretary of Homeland Security, stated that the decision to revoke the TPS extension stemmed from the belief that the previous administration's actions were intended to bind the current administration's hands. She criticized the extension, suggesting it allowed individuals to remain in the U.S. while violating laws.
President Donald Trump had previously attempted to revoke TPS for various countries, including Haiti and El Salvador, but these efforts were halted by court rulings. The Department of Homeland Security had justified the TPS extension for Venezuelans under the severe humanitarian crisis caused by the political and economic turmoil under President Nicolás Maduro.
In recent years, millions of Venezuelans have sought refuge in the U.S. due to the ongoing social and political crises. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), over 7.7 million people have fled Venezuela, marking it as the largest displacement crisis in the Americas.