— The Department of Homeland Security announced it will terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections and work authorization for roughly 268,000 Venezuelan nationals enrolled under a 2021 designation, giving recipients about 60 days before their legal status lapses and urging them to pursue voluntary returns.
Key Takeaways
- On Sept. 3, 2025, DHS moved to end the 2021 TPS designation that covers about 268,000 Venezuelans.
- The decision follows an earlier 2025 action that revoked a separate 2023 TPS designation affecting ~350,000 Venezuelans.
- Officials say affected migrants have roughly 60 days before protections and work permits expire.
- DHS is encouraging voluntary returns via a repurposed CBP Home smartphone app and a $1,000 incentive for self-deportation.
- Advocates have filed lawsuits arguing many home countries remain unsafe and that terminations are unlawful or discriminatory.
Verified Facts
The TPS designation at issue was created in 2021. Homeland Security officials told reporters the program covers people who have been in the U.S. for a longer period and who were granted temporary legal status and work permits under that designation. DHS said the protections will end within about 60 days unless a court intervenes.
Earlier in 2025, following a Supreme Court ruling, the administration ended a separate TPS status from 2023 that had protected roughly 350,000 Venezuelans. That 2023 designation covered mostly people who crossed the U.S.–Mexico border irregularly or entered under now-defunct Biden-era programs.
USCIS spokesman Matthew Tragesser said Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem determined maintaining the 2021 TPS designation was not in the country’s interest, citing concerns that TPS creates a “magnet effect” for irregular migration and undermines border-management goals.
Federal officials said migrants whose TPS ends and who lack other lawful immigration paths — such as pending asylum claims or legal residency — could be arrested and subject to removal. DHS has promoted the CBP Home app as a way for recipients to register for voluntary return, offering a $1,000 travel incentive for those who choose to self-deport.
Context & Impact
TPS was created by Congress in 1990 to offer temporary protection to people from countries affected by armed conflict, natural disasters, or other emergencies. It is not intended to be a long-term immigration solution, but successive administrations have extended or redesignated TPS for groups facing ongoing dangers at home.
The Trump administration has targeted multiple TPS programs in recent months, announcing terminations for nationals from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua as well as the two Venezuelan designations this year. Those moves are likely to prompt new rounds of litigation and could increase removals if courts uphold the terminations.
Local communities and service organizations that support TPS recipients say the policy change will strain access to legal counsel, jobs and healthcare for affected families. Employers that rely on TPS work authorizations also face sudden workforce uncertainty.
- Potential federal enforcement increases in the weeks after expirations.
- Possible surge in asylum and residency applications from affected Venezuelans.
- Heightened litigation challenging the administration’s rationale and procedures.
Official Statements
“Given Venezuela’s substantial role in driving irregular migration and the clear magnet effect created by Temporary Protected Status, maintaining or expanding TPS for Venezuelan nationals directly undermines the administration’s efforts to secure our southern border and manage migration effectively.”
Matthew Tragesser, USCIS spokesman (paraphrased)
Unconfirmed
- Advocates’ claims that some terminations are motivated by racial animus are alleged in lawsuits and remain unproven in court.
- The total number of self-deportations that will result from the CBP Home app program is uncertain.
Bottom Line
The Sept. 3, 2025 DHS decision removes legal protections for about 268,000 Venezuelan TPS holders and could lead to arrests, removals, or voluntary returns in the coming months. Expect further litigation and local impacts as communities, employers and courts respond.