Trump Administration Terminates Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan Migrants, Exposing Thousands to Deportation
- Cloud 9 News
- Sep 3
- 4 min read
September 3, 2025 – Washington, DC – The Trump administration announced on Wednesday the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants in the United States, a move that strips legal protections from an estimated 268,156 individuals and exposes them to potential deportation. The decision, led by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, reverses a Biden-era designation and marks a significant escalation in the administration’s immigration enforcement agenda, sparking outcry from migrant advocates and Democratic leaders.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed the end of the 2021 TPS designation for Venezuela, effective 60 days after the publication of the Federal Register notice, set for September 10, 2025. This follows the administration’s earlier termination of a 2023 TPS designation in April, which affected approximately 348,000 Venezuelans. Together, these actions impact over 600,000 Venezuelan migrants who had been shielded from deportation and granted work permits due to the ongoing political and economic crisis in Venezuela under President Nicolás Maduro’s regime.
TPS, established by Congress in 1990, provides temporary protection from deportation and work authorization for migrants from countries facing war, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions deemed unsafe for return. Venezuela was designated for TPS in 2021 and 2023 by the Biden administration, citing a “complex, serious, and multidimensional humanitarian crisis” that has driven nearly 8 million Venezuelans to flee their homeland, with many settling in the U.S. and neighboring countries like Colombia.
Secretary Noem justified the termination, stating, “Venezuela’s substantial role in driving irregular migration and the clear magnet effect created by Temporary Protected Status undermines the Trump Administration’s efforts to secure our southern border and manage migration effectively.” She argued that conditions in Venezuela, including its economy, public health, and crime rates, have improved sufficiently to allow for safe return, despite a U.S. State Department advisory warning Americans against travel to Venezuela due to risks of wrongful detention, terrorism, and poor infrastructure. Noem also pointed to the presence of a small number of Venezuelan migrants with alleged ties to the Tren de Aragua gang as a public safety concern, though critics note that DHS has identified only 600 such individuals out of the 600,000 TPS holders.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from immigrant advocates and Democratic lawmakers, who argue it disregards the ongoing dangers in Venezuela and unfairly targets a vulnerable population. “Venezuelans face extreme oppression, arbitrary detention, extrajudicial killings, and torture,” said Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in a statement. “This move is cruel and baseless, rooted in negative stereotypes rather than evidence.” Advocates like Jose Palma of the National TPS Alliance emphasized the human toll, noting that many TPS holders are integrated into U.S. communities, with jobs, families, and U.S.-citizen children.
The termination follows a contentious legal battle. In March 2025, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco temporarily blocked the revocation of the 2023 TPS designation, calling it “predicated on negative stereotypes” and potentially motivated by “unconstitutional animus.” Chen noted that Venezuelan TPS holders have lower crime rates than the general U.S. population and are more likely to hold bachelor’s degrees. However, on May 19, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court, in an 8-1 ruling with Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting, lifted Chen’s injunction, allowing the Trump administration to proceed with ending TPS for 350,000 Venezuelans while litigation continues in lower courts.
The latest move to end the 2021 designation leaves 268,156 Venezuelans without legal status, along with 3,738 pending initial TPS applications and 102,935 pending renewals, all of which will be terminated. Affected migrants will lose work authorization and face potential detention and deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which has ramped up arrests under Trump’s mass deportation initiative. DHS has recommended that those affected use the CBP One mobile app to arrange voluntary departure from the U.S.
In South Florida, home to a large Venezuelan community, the decision has sparked feelings of betrayal, particularly among Venezuelan Americans who supported Trump in the 2024 election. “They told us documented migrants would be safe,” said Mariana Molero, a TPS holder in Doral, Florida, during a protest. “This feels like a bait-and-switch.” Community leaders like Carlos Pereira questioned the administration’s negotiations with Maduro’s regime, which recently agreed to accept deportation flights, reversing prior resistance.
Republicans, including Florida Congressman Carlos Gimenez, have urged the administration to reconsider, citing the contributions of law-abiding Venezuelan migrants. However, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin defended the decision as a “win for the American people and the safety of our communities,” echoing Noem’s claim that TPS encourages illegal immigration.
As the September 10 deadline approaches, advocates are preparing further legal challenges, arguing that the terminations violate administrative procedures and are driven by racial bias. “This is the largest single action stripping any group of non-citizens of immigration status in modern U.S. history,” said Ahilan Arulanantham, co-director of UCLA’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy. He warned of billions in economic losses and disruptions to communities nationwide if deportations proceed.
For now, affected Venezuelans face an uncertain future, with many weighing whether to leave voluntarily or risk deportation to a country the U.S. government itself deems unsafe. The decision underscores the Trump administration’s broader push to scale back humanitarian protections, with Noem also announcing plans to phase out TPS for Haitians and other groups in the coming months.
Comments