WASHINGTON: The United States Department of Homeland Security has moved to end the Biden-era designation of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan migrants.
A department spokesperson stated that Venezuela no longer meets the requirements for this protected immigration status.
Temporary Protected Status provides work authorisation and deportation protection to migrants from countries experiencing disasters or conflicts.
The department concluded that allowing Venezuelans to remain temporarily does not serve America’s best interest after weighing multiple factors.
This decision considers public safety, national security, migration patterns, economic factors, and foreign policy concerns.
The current TPS designation for Venezuelan migrants is scheduled to expire on September 10.
More than 256,000 Venezuelans received protection under the 2021 designation according to Congressional Research Service data.
The Trump administration initially attempted to remove these deportation protections in February shortly after returning to power.
Although a federal court blocked this move in March, the Supreme Court later permitted the government to proceed with deportations.
An appeals court ruled last month that the administration likely acted unlawfully when revoking protections for 600,000 Venezuelans. – Reuters
