Trump Revokes Extension Of Deportation Protection For Hundreds Of Thousands Of Venezuelans

The Donald Trump administration has rescinded an 18-month extension of deportation protections granted to more than 600,000 Venezuelans by President Joe Biden, a move that could leave them vulnerable to deportation in the coming months.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem revoked the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) extension on Tuesday, according to a document obtained by The New York Times. The status, originally designed to assist migrants who cannot safely return to their home countries due to conflict or disaster, provided work permits and deportation relief until at least late 2026.

During his first administration, Trump sought to end TPS for migrants from several countries, including Haiti, El Salvador, and Sudan, but courts blocked some of those attempts.

Noem argued that Biden's DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas acted prematurely, saying that the extension should not stand "given the exceedingly brief period" since it was issued on Jan. 17.

Venezuelans have fled to the U.S. in large numbers in recent years as their country faces economic collapse and political repression under Nicolás Maduro. The Biden administration cited ongoing instability, crime, and lack of basic resources in Venezuela as justification for the extension.

Those granted TPS in 2021 will retain their protections until September, while those who received it in 2023 are covered through April. Noem has until Saturday to decide whether to renew protections for the latter group. If no action is taken, the protections will automatically extend for six months.

Immigration advocates warn that revoking Biden's extension will create uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans. "By taking this action, Secretary Noem is throwing over 600,000 into a state of ongoing bureaucratic limbo," Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, told the NYT. He added that the move could impact the U.S. economy, as most TPS holders are employed.

Trump's wide-ranging deportation plans are set to face logistical challenges, particularly with countries that resist accepting deportees. For example, Cuba, China, Venezuela, and India account for some of the highest numbers of deportable people but accept only a fraction. Since 2005, Cuba has taken back just 4,662 of its 42,084 deportable citizens. China and Venezuela show similarly low acceptance rates. In this regard, there are 22,749 deportable Venezuelans in the U.S., but the country has only accepted 5,862 people in the past 20 years.

However, there are some countries reportedly willing to take deportees from third countries. One of them is El Salvador, which is negotiating conditions with the Trump administration.

Concretely, the governments are working on an agreement for the Central American nation to be designated as a "safe third country." It would entail it taking migrants from other countries and prevent them from requesting asylum in the U.S.

Among the plan's provisions is the possibility for the U.S. to send suspected members of Venezuelan-born gang Tren de Aragua, which has repeatedly made headlines during the past months, especially after Trump singled it out to illustrate his claims about perils of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

It is unclear how the Bukele administration would handle the alleged criminals, but the country has heavily cracked down on the domestic-born MS-13, incarcerating tens of thousands of people in mega-prisons throughout the country.

Another country seemingly open to take deportees from third countries is Guatemala, as the administration of Bernardo Arevalo de Leon seeks to have smooth relations with Trump.

Concretely, Guatemala would receive citizens from other Central American nations, which constitute a large portion of those making their way up north. "We want to be part of the solution," a Guatemalan official who requested anonymity told Reuters in December.