Immigrants' Rights Advocates Urge Congress to Pass Legislation to Protect Immigrants, as Trump Administration Ends TPS for Venezuelans
WASHINGTON 鈥 Immigrants' rights groups warn that the end of TPS for more than 240,000 Venezuelans today marks an escalation in the Trump administration鈥檚 attack on immigrant communities and one of the nation鈥檚 core humanitarian protections. The termination of this status is a critical moment for Congress to reaffirm its bipartisan commitment to protect people fleeing crisis and persecution by passing legislation that includes a pathway to citizenship for current and former TPS holders.
This latest TPS termination for Venezuelans will leave hundreds of thousands vulnerable to detention and possible deportation to Venezuela, where many face imminent harm, persecution, or imprisonment, as well as third countries to which they have no connection. This termination will also have immediate and destabilizing effects on communities across the United States, where families who have long contributed to local economies, schools, and neighborhoods now face the prospect of losing their livelihoods and being torn from the communities they call home.
Since President Trump took office, his administration has moved aggressively to dismantle TPS protections, terminating designations for Afghanistan, Cameroon, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Syria, and now Venezuela. Even with litigation pending to challenge these decisions, the administration鈥檚 actions have already placed more than 675,000 people at immediate risk of family separation, detention, and deportation. This pattern represents one of the most sweeping rollbacks of humanitarian protections in the program鈥檚 history.
In response to the termination of TPS for Venezuelans, immigrants鈥 rights groups had the following reactions:
鈥淭his moment represents far more than the loss of status for one group of people, it is an inflection point in the Trump administration鈥檚 broader effort to attack TPS and other humanitarian protections and put hundreds of thousands of our neighbors at risk of deportation and arrest by masked agents,鈥 said Haddy Gassama, senior policy counsel at the 红杏视频. 鈥淎merican voters have shown that they deeply object to the administration鈥檚 reckless deportation agenda and now is a moment for members of Congress to rally behind them and show real courage. It鈥檚 critical that members of Congress mobilize and unite behind legislation that will protect TPS holders and provide a path to citizenship for millions of our neighbors and loves ones who have built lives in communities across the country.鈥
鈥淭oday at midnight, 260,000 Venezuelans will lose their Temporary Protected Status (TPS), joining the 340,000 who already lost it before them. In total, more than 600,000 Venezuelans are being stripped of their legal protection 鈥 the largest illegalization of immigrants in U.S. history 鈥 turning law-abiding, tax-paying families into subjects of deportation,鈥 said Adelys Ferro, Executive Director of the Venezuelan American Caucus. 鈥淭his cruel decision by the Trump administration and supported by the U.S. Supreme Court is not about policy or law; it is about xenophobia, racism, and discrimination. For many, returning to Venezuela under the dictatorship of Nicol谩s Maduro is simply not an option. Many TPS holders are political refugees, victims of persecution, and pillars of their communities: people who contribute every day to this country. Losing their status means losing stability and hope. This is a painful, devastating, and profoundly unjust act that betrays America鈥檚 values and humanity.鈥
鈥淰enezuelan migrants have become an integral part of our communities鈥攖hey are our neighbors, co-workers, caregivers, and friends. They deserve to be recognized for their humanity and their many contributions to our society,鈥 said Dulce Guzman, Executive Director of Alianza Americas. 鈥淵et this administration seems intent on dismantling every humanitarian and legal pathway available for people seeking safety and opportunity. We cannot look away from the terror and separation that families are enduring, nor can we become numb to the cruel ending of programs designed to protect human life and dignity. Ongoing political repression, economic collapse, and widespread human rights violations continue to make Venezuela unsafe for return, warranting the extension of TPS and other protections.鈥
鈥淭he Administration's decision to terminate TPS for Venezuela and other qualified countries is inconsistent with the original intent of Congress in establishing Temporary Protected Status (TPS),鈥 said Nils Kinuani, Federal Policy Manager for African Communities Together (ACT). 鈥淐ongress created this program specifically to protect vulnerable populations from unsafe or unstable conditions in their home countries. By moving forward with these terminations, the Administration undermines the very purpose of the program and forces individuals back into dangerous conditions.
鈥淭he Trump administration鈥檚 termination of TPS for over 240,000 Venezuelans is part of a deliberate agenda to systematically dismantle protections for Black, Brown, and Middle Eastern communities,鈥 said Carolyn Tran, Executive Director of Communities United for Status & Protection (CUSP). 鈥淪ince Trump took office, TPS protections have been stripped from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Syria, Burma, South Sudan, and Venezuela 鈥 placing more than 675,000 people at risk of deportation. This is not about policy. This is about a calculated effort to attack immigrants of color. At CUSP, we stand in unwavering solidarity with the Venezuelan TPS community. When one of our communities is attacked, we are all under attack. The same forces threatening Venezuelan families are threatening Haitian, Sudanese, Ethiopian, Syrian, Burmese, Afghan, and Nepali families across the diaspora. Our power lies in our collective resistance and our refusal to be divided. Congress must act now to protect all TPS holders and provide a pathway to citizenship.鈥
鈥淭oday, over 240,000 Venezuelans join the growing community of TPS holders in the US who have been delegalized by this administration, placing them at immediate risk of being separated from their families and deported back to their home country with no regard to their safety or well-being,鈥 said George Escobar, Chief of Programs and Services at CASA. 鈥淭PS for so many has been an avenue to build a life here in the US, as they were able to work and provide for themselves and their families. The systemic dismantling of the program comes in tandem with the violent xenophobia and racism unleashed by this administration, as brown and black members of our community are targeted by enforcement agents to be removed from our neighborhoods and cities. We will not remain silent as immigrants across the country are in danger and will continue to fight to ensure that all members of our community can prosper.鈥