MIAMI — Venezuelan migrants in South Florida are expressing feelings of betrayal following a decision by the Trump administration to revoke legal protections, putting at risk the status of hundreds of thousands who fled authoritarian regimes for safety in the U.S.
New regulations anticipated to be announced this week would terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for over 300,000 Venezuelans by early April. A second group of approximately 250,000 Venezuelans, whose protections currently extend until September, may also face removal of their status.
This shift marks a significant divergence from U.S. policy, which previously provided TPS to more than half a million Venezuelans. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently suggested that the TPS designation was being “abused,” claiming, “Venezuela purposely emptied out their prisons, emptied out their mental health facilities and sent them to the United States.”
Venezuelan-Americans Challenge Claim
Since the 1980s, Venezuelans have increasingly migrated to the U.S., with numbers swelling as citizens fled the political and economic instability under Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro. Nearly 400,000 Venezuelans currently reside in Florida. Advocates like Adelys Ferro of the Venezuelan American Caucus assert, “We are human beings who work here, who are small business owners.” Ferro emphasizes that TPS was viewed as a pathway to legal status, including work permits and social security numbers.
The largest Venezuelan population in Florida resides in Doral, a Miami suburb, where community leaders recently held a press conference to express their concerns, carefully choosing not to include TPS recipients in fear of potential deportation.
In the 2024 presidential elections, Trump garnered significant support from the Latino community in Miami-Dade County, including Venezuelan-Americans. This has left many feeling disappointed, as Ferro stated, “Beyond betrayed…They used us.” Concerns about the administration’s commitment to keeping documented individuals safe have risen amid these developments.
Carlos Pereira, a Venezuelan-American resident of Doral, reports heightened anxiety among his friends and neighbors regarding the pending policy changes, emphasizing that “eliminating TPS would be a tragedy.”
Noem’s draft rule suggests that allowing Venezuelans to remain in the U.S. does not align with American national interests. This decision not only affects Venezuelans but could also raise concerns for individuals from several other countries currently under TPS.
The Trump administration’s move to end TPS comes amid negotiations with the Maduro regime to secure the release of American hostages, prompting Pereira to question the silence from Republican lawmakers who once vocally condemned Maduro’s rule. “Now, because Trump is negotiating with Maduro, they close their mouth?” he asked.
Republican Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, who represents Doral, is monitoring these negotiations closely for potential concessions from Trump. He opposes the removal of TPS for Venezuelans and hopes that asylum can be granted on an individual basis.
