Venezuelans Stripped Of TPS Can Apply For Refugee Status, DHS Says

Kristi Noem, serving as U.S. homeland security secretary, said on Fox News Sunday that Venezuelans who previously held Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States will have the opportunity to apply for refugee status while the Department of Homeland Security reviews their cases as part of an administration-wide process.

"Venezuela today is more free than it was yesterday," Noem said, adding that "every individual that was under TPS has the opportunity to apply for refugee status" and that the department must ensure programs "actually mean something" and comply with the law.

Four months earlier, Noem ended the 2021 Biden-era TPS designation for Venezuela, a move she said was "contrary to the U.S. national interest." That decision affected more than 250,000 Venezuelan nationals living in the United States. These cases come on top of an earlier order that removed TPS protections for roughly 350,000 Venezuelans.

Florida is home to more than half of those impacted by the TPS revocations. Many people have lost work authorization and now face court fights to remain in the U.S. Local officials, including Miami Mayor Elaine Higgins, have criticized the revocation as "reckless, dangerous, and wrong," arguing that instability in Venezuela still makes returns unsafe for many people.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the administration concluded Venezuela had played a "substantial role in driving irregular migration" that had "directly" undermined U.S. immigration policies — the rationale cited for rescinding TPS.

Noem also referenced remarks attributed to former President Donald Trump directed at Delcy Rodríguez, whom some have described as an interim figure amid reports of political upheaval in Venezuela. Reports that Nicolás Maduro had been captured circulated at the time but were not independently verified; this article does not confirm those claims.

What This Means For Venezuelans In The U.S.

The offer to allow former TPS holders to apply for refugee status does not automatically restore legal status or work authorization. Applications for refugee status require separate procedures and legal standards, and outcomes will depend on individual circumstances and on how the department implements its review. Many affected Venezuelans will continue to face legal uncertainty while appeals and court challenges proceed.

Note: Some details cited in earlier reports — including claims about Nicolás Maduro's capture — were unverified at the time of reporting and have been treated here as unconfirmed.