Washington, DC — This weekend, the Trump administration announced it will terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans, a decision that reverses the U.S. government’s earlier decision – recently announced – and pulls the rug out from several hundred thousand individuals who rely on TPS for legal protection and work authorization. It also represents a dangerous escalation of the Trump push to make as many individuals as possible deportable, including by stripping legal status from a population here lawfully.
According to Vanessa Cárdenas, Executive Director of America’s Voice:
“Trump’s announcement to revoke TPS from hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans signals a new and troubling front in the Trump administration’s effort to make as many individuals as possible deportable: it’s the first, and we fear not the last, example of the Trump administration officially stripping status and protections from those here with lawful legal status. The Trump administration is criminalizing law-abiding people in order to seek to deport them.
It also breaks a promise from this nation and replaces a functional, legal program with chaos, and cruelty. The legal protections and work permits that come with TPS status bolster our economy, stabilize communities, and strengthen families, including those helmed by Venezuelans.”