The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officially confirmed the termination of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) granted in 2021 to citizens of Venezuela.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem announced that the designation expires on September 10, 2025, and that the cancellation will be effective 60 days after notice is published in the Federal Register.
The official statement from DHS
According to the statement issued by DHS, the decision was made following a mandatory review process that must be conducted at least 60 days prior to the expiration of a TPS designation.
The review was done in coordination with USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) and the Department of State.
A DHS spokesperson explained, “Given Venezuela’s substantial role in driving irregular migration and the clear magnet effect created by Temporary Protected Status, maintaining or expanding TPS for Venezuelan nationals directly undermines the Trump Administration’s efforts to secure the southern border and effectively manage migration.
When weighing public safety, national security, migration factors, immigration policy, economic and foreign policy considerations, it is clear that allowing Venezuelans to remain temporarily in the United States is not in the best national interest”.
Secretary Noem concluded that current conditions in Venezuela “no longer meet the statutory requirements” of TPS and that extension would be “contrary to the national interest.”
Incentives for voluntary departure
The communiqué also included a message addressed to Venezuelans who will have to leave the U.S. after the program ends.
“Venezuelan nationals departing the United States are encouraged to use U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s CBP Home application to report their departure from the United States and take advantage of a secure form of self-deportation that includes a complimentary airline ticket, a $1,000 departure voucher and possible future legal immigration opportunities.”
DHS informed that Venezuelan nationals can use the CBP One mobile application to report their voluntary departure.
The exit plan offers:
A free plane ticket to Venezuela or another host country.
A $1,000 exit bonus to cover immediate expenses.
Possible future opportunities for legal immigration if the departure is done in an orderly manner and within the established period.
End of TPS for Venezuelan granted in 2021
Venezuelan TPS, granted in 2021 under the Biden administration, benefited more than 240,000 people, who were able to live and work legally in the United States for four years.
Many of them reside in states such as Florida, Texas, New York and New Jersey, where they have put down roots, started businesses and raised families.
With this termination, they will lose their work permits and protection against deportation, creating enormous uncertainty in the community.
Immigrant advocacy organizations, such as America’s Voice and the Association of Venezuelans Abroad (AVE), have announced that they are preparing lawsuits to try to block the measure.
What beneficiaries must do
Faced with the end of TPS for Venezuelans granted in 2021, immigration lawyers recommend:
Consult immediately with an immigration attorney for alternative legal options (asylum, family or work visas).
Monitor the official deadline published in the Federal Register, which will mark the beginning of the 60-day grace period.
Explore avenues for regularization if they have family members who are citizens or legal permanent residents.
Do not ignore the expiration of permits: working without authorization after the termination of TPS can have serious immigration consequences.
The Trump Administration’s decision to end Venezuelan TPS 2021 marks a turning point for hundreds of thousands of immigrants who relied on this protection.
While the government offers an “orderly” exit plan with economic incentives, the Venezuelan community faces the dilemma of seeking legal alternatives to remain in the U.S. or accepting the return to a country where the political and economic crisis persists.
Venezuelan nationals departing the United States are encouraged to use U.S. Customs and Border Protection's CBP Home application to report their departure from the United States and take advantage of a secure form of self-deportation that includes a complimentary airline ticket, a $1,000 departure voucher and possible future legal immigration opportunities
DHS
