Jan. 29 (UPI) — Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday revoked an 18-month extension of Temporary Protected Status for an estimated 600,000 Venezuelan migrants in the United States.
“Today, we withdrew the ridiculous Biden administration order that allowed unvetted illegal immigrants from Venezuela, including members of the vicious gang Tren de Aragua, to stay in our country and violate our laws,” DHS officials said Wednesday in a post on X.
Former President Joe Biden on Jan. 17 extended Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for Venezuelan migrants and others via an executive order.
The extension applies to migrants from Venezuela, Ukraine, Sudan and Haiti, but Noem’s revocation only affects Venezuelans.
Noem vacated the Jan. 17 notice and reverted to the prior TPS policy for Venezuela that the DHS announced in October 2023.
That notice extended prior temporary protected status for Venezuelan migrants for 18 months, which expires this year on Sept. 10.
Temporary Protected Status enabled Venezuelans and others subject to similar protections to obtain work permits while in the United States.
Noem faulted the former administration for extending TPS with just two days remaining in Biden’s presidential term, which ended on Jan. 19.
Biden’s extension interferes with President Donald Trump’s planned deportations of undocumented migrants in the United States, the New York Times reported.
A Venezuelan migrant in South Florida told the Miami Herald the TPS revocation makes her feel “powerless and angry.”
“This is a country of immigrants,” B. Diaz said. “Why are they attacking us? My family has committed no crime.”
About 60% of all migrants subject to temporary protected status in Florida are Venezuelan, the Miami Herald reported.
Temporary protected status is intended to help migrants who are in the United States and cannot return to their home countries due to violent conflicts, natural disasters, political turmoil and other complicating factors.
Venezuela has experienced political, economic and humanitarian crises in recent years, including the disputed re-election of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro last year.
