U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Monday moved to terminate deportation relief for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans in the U.S., part of President Donald Trump's expanding immigration crackdown, APA reports citing Reuters.
The decision means about 348,000 Venezuelans with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will lose deportation relief and access to work permits by April, according to a related government notice, which said conditions in Venezuela no longer warranted the protections and that they were contrary to U.S. interests.
Trump, a Republican, took office on Jan. 20 vowing to crack down on illegal immigration and humanitarian programs he says go beyond the intent of U.S. law. Trump tried to end most TPS enrollment during his first term but was stymied by federal courts.
TPS is available to people whose home country has experienced a natural disaster, armed conflict or other extraordinary event.
Biden, a Democrat, greatly expanded the program and it now covers more than 1 million people from 17 nations. Many of those migrants - including some in the U.S. for decades - could be vulnerable to immediate deportation if they lose the status.
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