Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans are being encouraged to go home or face deportation following the U.S. operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Why it matters: Venezuelan immigrants had temporary U.S. legal protections until last year, in part due to poor economic conditions and human rights abuses under the Maduro government.
- "President Trump's decisive action to remove Maduro marks a turning point for Venezuelans. Now, they can return to the country they love and rebuild its future," said U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokesperson Matthew Tragesser in a statement.
Zoom in: A Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation in 2023 gave about 348,000 Venezuelans legal status and the opportunity for work permits. The Trump administration terminated that status in April.
- Another TPS designation from 2021 gave roughly 268,000 Venezuelans protection and was terminated in November.
- Many more Venezuelans live and work in the U.S. with visas or could apply for permanent legal status (like a green card).
Between the lines: Venezuela is "more free today than it was yesterday," Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Sunday, the day after the Maduro raid became public.
- Noem said TPS holders can apply for "refugee status."
- But asylum isn't currently an option. A December policy memo from USCIS ordered a pause on all asylum applications.
- Venezuelans are also affected by the Trump administration's pause on all immigration decisions because Venezuela is on the travel ban list.
USCIS did not respond when asked whether there are any changes to process applications from Venezuelans.
The bottom line: Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) said Monday, after an unannounced ICE detention oversight visit, that there are now plans to ramp up deportation flights.
- "A supervisor told me that in light of the abduction of Nicolás Maduro this past weekend that the Department of Homeland Security is going to be taking another look at the possibility of deporting Venezuelans back to Venezuela," he said.
- Venezuela has been considered non-cooperative with deportation flights, accepting a limited number of deportees. Many deported Venezuelans had been sent to other countries, including Mexico, to facilitate faster removals.
- A DHS spokesperson said the flights were never paused when asked for comment.
