Trump ends temporary protected status for 300,000 Venezuelans - NYT
Donald Trump (photo: Getty Images)
The administration of US President Donald Trump has canceled Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 300,000 Venezuelans in the US. As a result, they are now vulnerable to potential deportation in the coming months, reports The New York Times.
This move, the first by President Trump to revoke such protection in his second term, signals his intention to continue cracking down on the program, as he previously attempted to revoke the status for migrants from Sudan, El Salvador, and Haiti. It is also the latest in a series of steps taken by the Trump administration to strengthen the immigration system, including suspending programs that allow migrants to enter through legal channels and freezing the refugee intake system.
The NYT clarifies that when the first Trump administration canceled protections for migrants from El Salvador and Haiti, officials allowed affected individuals to retain their status for 12-18 months before it was revoked.
This time, the administration opted for a more expedited approach. As a result, those under TPS from Venezuela, who were granted protection in 2023, will lose their temporary status 50 days after the government publishes the notice of termination.
Republican critics of the program argued that it had been used to allow migrants to remain far longer than originally intended. Moreover, it evolved from something temporary into a more permanent arrangement.
Meanwhile, documents obtained by the NYT indicate that more than 300,000 Venezuelans had TPS status until April. Another group of over 250,000 Venezuelans had protection until September, which will now be revoked. However, the decision implies that they and others with TPS status may face the threat of losing it in the future.
As The New York Times notes, this program is designed for migrants who cannot be returned to a country facing a natural disaster or any conflict.
In recent years, migrants have fled Venezuela as the government under President Nicolás Maduro collapsed. The administration of former US President Joe Biden struggled with deporting migrants to Venezuela, as the country did not allow deportation flights. However, the situation changed recently.
On Saturday, US President Donald Trump wrote on social media that the Venezuelan government had changed its stance on this issue, although officials in Caracas have not publicly confirmed such an agreement.
"Venezuela has agreed to receive, back into their Country, all Venezuela illegal aliens who were encamped in the US, including gang members of Tren de Aragua. Venezuela has further agreed to supply the transportation back. We are in the process of removing record numbers of illegal aliens from all Countries, and all Countries have agreed to accept these illegal aliens back," Trump wrote.
The New York Times added that in recent years, the TPS program has significantly expanded. According to the Congressional Research Service, by the end of last year, over a million individuals held this status.
What could have preceded Venezuela's decision regarding the return of migrants
On January 26, Colombia refused to accept two US military planes carrying deported migrants. In response, Trump instructed his administration to impose a 25% tariff on the country, along with a series of sanctions and other measures.
A few hours later, it was reported that Colombia agreed to Trump’s terms. The White House confirmed the news, noting that the document outlining the planned actions would not be signed until Colombia violated the agreements.
