The United States will end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans this fall, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Wednesday the programme, first designated in 2021 under the Biden administration, will formally expire on September 10.
The termination becomes effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.
TPS allows people from countries facing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions to live and work in the US without fear of deportation.
According to the Congressional Research Service, more than 250,000 Venezuelans have benefited from the designation.
The move comes as the Trump administration intensifies its efforts to curb irregular migration.
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) spokesperson Matthew Tragesser said continuing TPS would "undermine the Trump administration’s efforts to secure our southern border," citing national security and foreign policy concerns.
Families ripped apart
The DHS said Venezuelans who leave the US will be eligible to register their exit through a mobile app and receive a free flight, a $1,000 stipend, and what it called possible future opportunities for legal immigration.
The end of TPS marks a significant shift from the Biden administration’s approach, which had expanded protections for Venezuelans amid worsening political and economic turmoil in their country.
Millions of Venezuelans have fled abroad in recent years, with large numbers resettling in the US.
Immigration advocates warned that ending TPS will upend the lives of families who have built stability under the programme.
The administration has defended the decision as necessary to uphold border enforcement policies, which remain central to Trump’s political platform.
