On Jan. 28, 2025, the Trump administration, acting through its Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), revoked the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans residing in the United States. This decision reverses the 18-month extension granted Jan. 17, 2025, under the Biden administration. The revocation of TPS for Venezuelans means that the protections set to last until October 2026 will now revert to their prior expiration dates and TPS beneficiaries, who have already applied or intended to re-register, will no longer benefit from the extension. Instead, the 2023 Venezuela TPS designation remains valid for current beneficiaries through April 2, 2025, and the 2021 Venezuela TPS designation remains valid for current beneficiaries through Sept. 10, 2025.
DHS grants TPS to eligible individuals from countries experiencing ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary conditions, which allows them to live and work in the United States without fear of deportation.
Employees with Venezuela TPS may have work authorization through either facially valid documents or automatic extensions. Employers should assess each employee's work authorization on a case-by-case basis. The first Trump administration attempted to terminate several TPS designations, leading to court challenges, and this most recent revocation of TPS may similarly face legal challenges.
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