Photo by Barbara Zandoval on Unsplash
The United States government announced on Wednesday, 20, the extension and redesignation of Venezuela to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. Nearly 500,000 Venezuelans may be eligible to apply for protection after the measure.
According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), after reviewing the conditions of instability and lack of security in Venezuela, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas determined an 18-month TPS extension and reassignment, providing temporary protection from removal as well as employment authorization for individuals who arrived in the United States before July 31, 2023.
“Temporary protected status provides individuals already present in the United States with protection from removal when conditions in their home country prevent their safe return,” Secretary Mayorkas said, noting that this is the current situation for Venezuelans in the U.S. He stressed that, however, those who arrived in the country after July 31 are not eligible for TPS and will instead be removed if they have no legal basis to remain in the country.
TPS applicants must prove that they are Venezuelan citizens or individuals without nationality who last resided in Venezuela before arriving in the U.S., who have resided continuously in the United States since at least July 31, 2023, and meet other eligibility criteria.
According to DHS, at least 242,700 Venezuelans are already TPS beneficiaries. Another 472,000 Venezuelan citizens in the U.S. may be eligible for protection after the measure.
By Amanda Almeida, from the Communication Team
