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Trump Administration Revokes Deportation Protections For Venezuelans In The US

The Trump administration has revoked an extension of deportation protections for over 600,000 Venezuelans, reversing a Biden-era decision.

The Trump administration has rescinded an extension of deportation protections previously granted to more than 600,000 Venezuelans in the United States, the “New York Times” reported on Tuesday.

The move, led by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, reverses a decision made by the Biden administration to provide an additional 18 months of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelan nationals, which also allowed them access to work permits.

President Donald Trump, who took office on January 20 with a firm stance on tightening immigration policies, has long opposed humanitarian programs he believes exceed the scope of US law. During his first term, he attempted to end most TPS enrollments but was blocked by federal courts. TPS is designed to offer protection to individuals from countries facing natural disasters, armed conflict, or other extraordinary crises. Under former President Joe Biden, the program was significantly expanded, covering more than 1 million people from 17 nations.

Biden’s Homeland Security Secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, had issued the Venezuelan extension just days before Trump’s inauguration, despite the fact that existing protections were set to expire in April for some enrollees and September for others. Mayorkas also extended TPS for individuals from El Salvador, Ukraine, and Sudan. However, with Noem’s rollback, the administration now faces a pressing decision: unless action is taken by Saturday, the expiring protections in April will automatically renew for another six months.

The US Department of Homeland Security has not yet responded to requests for comment. The decision signals a significant shift in immigration policy under Trump, aligning with his broader agenda to restrict humanitarian protections and enforce stricter immigration controls.

Melissa Enoch

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