The Trump administration has reversed an 18-month extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans in the United States, a move initially implemented by the Biden administration. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed in an interview with Fox News that she rescinded the extension, which had been signed by Biden’s Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
“Before he left office, Mayorkas signed an order extending protection for 18 months, allowing people on TPS to remain in the U.S. and potentially violate laws for another 18 months. We stopped that,” Noem said.
She announced the signing of an executive order within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to prevent the continuation of the extension.
“We will follow the process and evaluate all these individuals in our country,” Noem added.
More than 500,000 Venezuelans are under TPS protection
As of December 2024, more than 500,000 Venezuelans were benefiting from TPS, a program designed to protect individuals from countries in crisis, preventing deportation and granting legal work status.
The Biden administration had recently renewed the designation through October 2026, citing the ongoing humanitarian, economic and political crises in Venezuela, where President Nicolás Maduro’s authoritarian regime has been marked by increasing political persecution.
Florida congresswoman sounds off on issue
Florida, home to the largest number of Venezuelans under TPS, has seen mixed reactions. Republican Rep. María Elvira Salazar expressed support for maintaining protections for Venezuelans but also called for stronger action against Maduro.
In a statement to the Miami Herald, Salazar said, “Venezuela’s dictator Nicolás Maduro jails, beats, rapes, and kills anyone who speaks against him. There is a simple solution to this: Maduro has to go! Trump is the only force to get him out. Once Maduro is gone, there will be peace for Venezuelans.”
TPS protections set to expire
With the Trump administration’s decision, the expiration dates for TPS protections are reinstated. Some individuals under the program will see their status expire as early as April 2025, while others may face expiration in September.
Noem has said DHS will evaluate each case, rather than applying a blanket extension of protections when deciding whether to extend or end TPS for Venezuelans in the U.S.
