President Donald Trump’s administration has moved to terminate the Temporary Protected Status program for Venezuelan nationals, affecting nearly 270,000 migrants who had been shielded from deportation by his predecessor's policy since 2021, as Breitbart reports.

The Department of Homeland Security announced that the designation, first granted under former President Joe Biden, will end by Sept. 10 as part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to tighten immigration rules and secure the southern border.

The TPS program was created under the Immigration Act of 1990 to provide temporary refuge for migrants whose home countries faced war, famine, or natural disaster. For Venezuelans, the designation had been justified on the grounds of political instability and economic collapse in their country.

Background of TPS status

In 2021, Biden’s administration designated Venezuela for TPS status, citing humanitarian need and the inability of migrants to safely return to their home country. This shielded hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans from deportation while allowing them to work legally in the United States.

By contrast, Trump’s administration has emphasized border security and the need to reduce what it considers incentives for irregular migration. The latest decision aligns with earlier terminations of TPS for other countries, including Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Afghanistan, and Haiti.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed the decision this week, explaining that individuals without another lawful immigration status must depart by the September deadline or face removal proceedings.

Administration’s voluntary departure plan

Alongside the termination, the Trump administration is offering a program to encourage voluntary departures. Venezuelan migrants are advised to use the CBP Home mobile application to register their exit from the United States.

The initiative includes complimentary one-way flights back to Venezuela as well as a $1,000 incentive for those who leave before the deadline. Officials say this program is designed to ease the transition and reduce the burden on immigration enforcement resources.

Supporters of the decision argue that the measure strengthens national security while discouraging unlawful crossings at the southern border. They contend that maintaining TPS sends mixed signals to migrants abroad.

Concerns about incentives emerge

Matthew Tragesser, a spokesperson for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, emphasized the role Venezuela has played in recent migration trends. He noted that offering protected status can inadvertently encourage more people to travel north.

"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 Trump Administration’s efforts to secure our southern border and manage migration effectively," Tragesser said.

He added that multiple factors were considered in reaching the decision, including national security, economic impacts, and foreign policy priorities.

Weighing security, humanitarian considerations

"Weighing public safety, national security, migration factors, immigration policy, economic considerations, and foreign policy, it’s clear that allowing Venezuelan nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is not in America’s best interest," Tragesser said.

The remarks reflect the administration’s view that long-term relief programs create dependency rather than temporary solutions. Officials argue that permanent immigration avenues must be addressed through congressional action, not short-term executive measures.

Immigrant rights advocates, however, have historically defended TPS as a humanitarian safeguard, particularly for those fleeing unlivable conditions. Critics of the rollback warn it could destabilize families and communities already established in the United States.

Looking ahead to looming deadline

As the Sept. 10 deadline approaches, Venezuelan migrants with no other path to legal residency face difficult choices. Some may pursue asylum claims, while others may participate in the voluntary departure program.

The change marks one of the most significant shifts in U.S. immigration policy since Trump returned to office, underscoring his administration’s commitment to dismantling protections expanded under Biden. For affected families, the next weeks will be critical in determining their future.

With TPS ending soon, the fate of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan nationals highlights the broader debate between humanitarian relief and enforcement priorities at the heart of American immigration policy.