The organizations Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid (VIA) and the Center for Justice and Peace (CEPAZ) express our deep concern over the recent decision by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to suspend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans. This measure threatens the stability and security of approximately 300,000 individuals who may face mass deportations to a country where their lives and fundamental rights are at risk. Additionally, another 250,000 TPS beneficiaries, whose designation remains in effect, fear that this decision marks the beginning of a more restrictive policy that could ultimately leave them unprotected as well.
Even more concerning is the narrative surrounding this decision, which has promoted an unfair and stigmatizing characterization of Venezuelan migrants, falsely linking them to criminal organizations in a broad and unfounded manner. This is not only a distortion of reality, but it also exposes the Venezuelan community in the United States to discrimination, criminalization, and xenophobia. According to DHS data, less than 1% of TPS beneficiaries have any ties to criminal activities, demonstrating that these allegations lack factual basis and fuel harmful misconceptions that put at risk the safety and well-being of thousands of people who have positively contributed to American society and the economy.
Furthermore, the justification for suspending TPS based on the claim that the situation in Venezuela has improved is entirely inaccurate. The humanitarian crisis remains severe: 70.6% of the population does not have sufficient income to cover basic necessities, access to healthcare is extremely limited, and political persecution has intensified. Far from improving, conditions in Venezuela have deteriorated, with increasing restrictions on civic space and escalating state repression. Following the post-electoral crisis of 2024, the risk of violence and persecution against the opposition and civil society has already materialized, as evidenced by hundreds of documented cases reported by non-governmental organizations both inside and outside the country. Deporting Venezuelans under these conditions violates the international law principle of non- refoulement, a fundamental protection accepted by hundreds of countries to safeguard millions of refugees worldwide.
The consequences of this decision extend beyond those residing in the United States—it also sends a troubling message to the international community. Deporting Venezuelans exposes them to retaliation, arbitrary detention, and persecution, in addition to their potential exploitation for political manipulation. Recent cases, such as that of asylum seekers deported by Iceland, have demonstrated that those who return are treated as traitors and subjected to severe abuses by the Venezuelan regime.
We urge the U.S. administration to reconsider this decision and align its immigration policies with its historic commitment to international protection and human rights. We also call for an immediate correction of the damaging narrative that criminalizes the Venezuelan population and for the continuation of TPS, ensuring the safety and dignity of those who rely on this status. Additionally, we call upon the international community, multilateral organizations, and civil society to demand the protection and rights of Venezuelan migrants and refugees.
The crisis in Venezuela has not ended, and the lives of millions remain at risk. As a nation that has historically defended democracy and human rights, the United States has a responsibility to uphold these principles and provide protection to those who have been forced to flee persecution, extreme poverty, and violence—conditions clearly outlined in the two TPS designations for Venezuela, which now face the real possibility of being permanently revoked.
