On January 10th, former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for some 600,000 migrants originating from Venezuela for an eighteen-month period. On January 28th, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that it had revoked the Venezuela Temporary Protected Status extension.

Kristi Noem, the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary, elaborated on the decision to revoke the Venezuela Temporary Protected Status extension, made on the 28th. Noem stated that the decision came about as the result of a desire to follow the process of evaluation. Noem then specifically references the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua (TDA), along with fears that its members were using the temporary protection status to stay in the country.

Secretary Noem stated that so far, at least one ringleader of TDA had been arrested in an ICE arrest operation that occurred in New York City. Noem claimed that such actions were a welcomed change from the Biden administration’s approach. She went on to state the previous administration essentially tied the DHS’ hands behind its back.

This decision comes at the same time as the signing of a new law which would allow undocumented immigrants in the US accused of certain crimes to be detained and deported without due process. All of this comes as a result of a wave of immigration enforcement policies pushed forward by President Trump during his first days in office. These new policies are primarily designed to deport as many undocumented individuals as possible.

As always, ILBSG actively monitors ongoing U.S. immigration news. If you have questions about any U.S. immigration related issue, contact us. Working with an experienced attorney ensures you get the right advice based on the most recent laws. In an ever-evolving immigration policy landscape, it’s particularly critical.

Temporary Protection Status TPS Venezuela