MIAMI - Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava reacted on Friday after the Trump administration revoked a Biden-era decision that protected roughly 600,000 people from Venezuela from deportations.
"Time and again, we have stood with the Venezuelan community as they rallied against the brutal Maduro regime," Cava said. "Now is not the time to turn our backs on those following the process to be in our country legally. We must protect our border but this will only deepen the crisis."
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem signed the Temporary Protective Status (TPS) notice effective immediately. Former Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas extended TPS to 600,000 Venezuelans and about 230,000 Salvadorans for another 18 months in the final days of the Biden administration.
The previous notice allowed TPS protections to Venezuelans until October 2026. The new notice reverts to two separate designations that expire in April and September.
Noem, the former Governor of South Dakota, has until Saturday to decide what to do about the group whose protections expire in April. She then will have until July 12 to decide on the group whose protections end in September.
Nearly 8 million Venezuelans have left the country over the past decade under the dictatorial regime of President Nicolas Maduro. While most have settled in Latin America and the Caribbean, some have migrated to the United States, including South Florida.
TPS was established by Congress in 1990. The act allows temporary immigration status to nationals of specifically designated countries, like Venezuela, suffering from natural disasters or civil conflicts.
Per a report, over 100,000 Venezuelans live in Miami-Dade, and over 50,000 live in Broward County to the north. About 47% of the Venezuelan population in the United States lives in Florida, far more than any other state.
President Trump made immigration policy a pillar of his 2024 campaign. On his first day in office, the president signed an executive order declaring a national emergency at the southern border.
Trump also reinstated the "Remain in Mexico" program, further cementing his hardline stance on border security.
