After assessing country conditions and consulting relevant U.S. government agencies, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has concluded that Venezuela no longer meets the criteria for its 2023 Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation.
On March 9, 2021, then Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas designated Venezuela for TPS based on his determination that there existed “extraordinary and temporary conditions” in Venezuela that prevented nationals of Venezuela from returning in safety and that permitting such aliens to remain temporarily in the United States is not contrary to the U.S. national interest (Venezuela 2021 designation).
On September 8, 2022, then Secretary Mayorkas extended the Venezuela 2021 TPS designation for 18 months.
On October 3, 2023, Secretary Mayorkas extended the Venezuela 2021 TPS designation for another 18 months with an expiration date of September 10, 2025, and separately newly designated Venezuela for 18 months, a decision the former Secretary called a “redesignation” (Venezuela 2023 designation) with an expiration of April 2, 2025, resulting in two separate and concurrent Venezuela TPS designations.
On January 17, 2025, Secretary Mayorkas issued a notice extending the 2023 designation of Venezuela for TPS for 18 months.
After reviewing country conditions and considering whether permitting Venezuelan nationals covered by the 2023 designation is contrary to the national interest of the United States, in consultation with the appropriate U.S. Government agencies, the Secretary of Homeland Security has determined that Venezuela no longer continues to meet the conditions for the 2023 designation. In particular, the Secretary has determined it is contrary to the national interest to permit the covered Venezuelan nationals to remain temporarily in the United States.
The Secretary therefore is terminating the 2023 TPS designation of Venezuela. This termination is effective April 7, 2025. After April 7, 2025, nationals of Venezuela (and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in Venezuela) who have been granted TPS under the 2023 Venezuela designation will no longer have TPS.
The Department of Homeland Security estimates that approximately 348,202 aliens are eligible for TPS under the 2023 Venezuela designation.
Note that this termination determination does not apply to the 2021 designation of Venezuela for TPS, which remains in effect until September 10, 2025, or to individuals who are registered for TPS under the 2021 designation.
Contact one of HSD Immigration Lawyer offices in Chicago, IL, Naperville, IL, Raleigh, NC, or Clark, NJ, for additional information about this recent announcement. At HSD Immigration Lawyer, we specialize in complex employment-, investment- and family-based immigration matters.