Washington: The Trump administration has announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelan migrants, a decision that is expected to upend the lives of more than a quarter of a million people who have relied on the program for legal shelter and work authorization since 2021.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) declared that Venezuela no longer meets the requirements for TPS, which is designed as a short-term humanitarian measure for nationals of countries experiencing conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions. According to DHS officials, evolving U.S. immigration priorities, national security concerns, and a shift in foreign policy toward Venezuela justified the decision to let protections lapse.
TPS for Venezuelans was first granted by the Biden administration in 2021, following years of economic collapse, political instability, and mass migration from the South American nation. The designation allowed beneficiaries to obtain work permits and shielded them from deportation, offering temporary stability to families scattered across American communities. While the program was extended in 2023, the new administration has decided to let it expire fully on September 10, 2025, giving affected migrants little time to adjust.
The decision comes in the wake of a significant U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that affirmed the government’s authority to terminate TPS designations. The ruling overturned lower court injunctions that had previously blocked attempts to end the program, paving the way for the current policy shift. However, legal turbulence continues, as a federal appeals court recently found that revoking protections for Venezuelans might violate statutory safeguards. Immigration advocates are preparing fresh challenges, setting up a likely clash in the judiciary.
Immigrant-rights groups have warned that the administration’s move could spark a humanitarian crisis, as thousands of Venezuelan TPS holders face the prospect of deportation to a country still mired in economic hardship and authoritarian governance. Many beneficiaries have lived in the U.S. for years, built families, and established careers. “Ending TPS is not just a legal matter it’s tearing apart communities,” said one advocacy group.
The decision underscores a harder line on immigration by the Trump administration, which has argued that TPS has too often been extended indefinitely, transforming what was meant to be a temporary program into long-term residency by default. The move is expected to reverberate through Congress, where lawmakers remain deeply divided on whether to provide permanent protections or pathways to residency for long-term TPS holders.
For Venezuelan migrants, however, the clock is ticking. Unless the courts intervene or Congress acts, the expiration of TPS on September 10 will mark the end of a legal shield that, for many, has been the only protection against an uncertain future.