WEBULL

Kristi Noem Says Venezuelans Losing Temporary Protective Status In US Can Seek Refugee Status

Benzinga · 4d ago

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Sunday that Venezuelans in the U.S. who were previously under temporary protective status (TPS) are now eligible to apply for asylum.

Venezuelans Eligible To Apply For Asylum

Noem said on Fox News Sunday that Venezuelans who were previously covered by Temporary Protected Status “have the opportunity” to seek refugee status as the nation faces an uncertain future. However, she added that this would be done based on strict evaluation and ensuring that they were “following the law.”

The move follows the Supreme Court’s October approval of the Trump administration's bid to terminate TPS for roughly 600,000 Venezuelan migrants who had been granted protection by the Department of Homeland Security under the Biden administration.

Noem’s announcement follows a statement made by Delcy Rodríguez, the vice president of Nicolás Maduro‘s government, who declared on Saturday that Maduro is the only president of Venezuela.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday that the administration would "cherish the country" and prioritize caring for the people, including Venezuelans living in the United States who were forced to flee their homeland, adding that they would be treated well.

See Also: Kevin O’Leary Praises NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s ‘New Rules Of Politics’

Venezuela In Turmoil As US Warns

The situation in Venezuela has been mixed with the recent arrest of President Maduro. While a lot of citizens are celebrating the ouster of the president, armed supporters of Maduro have been causing chaos in the streets, leading to a state of fear among the citizens. This has resulted in people being confined to their homes, with armed factions freely roaming the cities.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has been closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela, with Trump even suggesting the possibility of a second military intervention in the country if the remaining members of the Venezuelan administration do not cooperate with U.S. efforts to “fix” the country. Trump also hinted at similar actions in Colombia and Mexico, unless they control their drug cartels.

READ NEXT:

Image via Shutterstock

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.