The Trump administration has revoked deportation protections for approximately 600,000 Venezuelans, placing many at risk of removal in the coming months, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Wednesday.
The decision reverses a move by former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the final days of the Biden administration. The change takes effect immediately as part of broader efforts by the Trump administration to tighten immigration policies and carry out what officials describe as the largest mass deportation effort in U.S. history.
“Before he left office, Mayorkas signed an order that extended this protection for 18 months, allowing people on Temporary Protected Status to stay,” Noem said in an interview with *Fox and Friends.* “We stopped that.”
The rollback of TPS has created uncertainty among affected Venezuelan immigrants, many of whom fled economic and political turmoil under President Nicolás Maduro.
Caren Añez, a 41-year-old single mother who arrived in the U.S. on a tourist visa and later obtained TPS, said she fears deportation despite her legal status.
“I am scared even though I arrived legally,” Añez said. “I cannot return to Venezuela because my life is in danger.”
Añez, who previously worked as an independent journalist in Venezuela, now resides in Texas as an office manager. She said returning home is not an option due to concerns over government persecution.
More than 7.7 million Venezuelans have left their country since 2013 as the economy deteriorated and Maduro took office. While many settled in Latin America, a growing number have sought refuge in the United States.
The decision to revoke TPS aligns with the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement policies. The Department of Homeland Security now faces deadlines in April and September to determine whether certain groups of Venezuelans will receive temporary extensions or face removal.
The U.S. lacks formal diplomatic relations with Venezuela, complicating deportation logistics. Advocacy groups, including the National TPS Alliance, have signaled they may challenge the administration’s decision in court.
Congress established TPS in 1990 to provide temporary legal status to immigrants from countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, or extraordinary conditions. Approximately 1 million immigrants from 17 countries—including Venezuela, Haiti, Ukraine, and Afghanistan—are currently protected under the program.
The Biden administration previously extended TPS for Venezuelans until October 2026. The Trump administration’s reversal returns the program to two separate designations set to expire in April and September. If not renewed, affected Venezuelans will lose work authorization and become eligible for deportation.
In addition to Venezuelans, the Biden administration had also extended protections to more than 230,000 Salvadorans, 103,000 Ukrainians, and 1,900 Sudanese. The Department of Homeland Security has not yet announced whether their protections will be affected.
The policy change was first reported by The New York Times.
