At a Glance
- Venezuelan migrants under TPS can now apply for asylum
- Roughly 600,000 TPS holders affected
- Trump and Rubio weigh in on Venezuela’s future
- Why it matters: It reshapes legal status for Venezuelan immigrants and signals U.S. policy on Venezuela
In a move that could alter the legal status of hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan immigrants, Kristi Noem announced that those previously granted temporary protected status can now seek asylum. The announcement follows the U.S. removal of TPS for about 600,000 migrants last year and comes amid heightened political tensions after the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
TPS Transition
Kristi Noem said on “Fox News Sunday” that “Every individual that was under TPS has the opportunity to apply for refugee status and that evaluation will go forward.” She confirmed that TPS was ended last year for roughly 600,000 Venezuelan migrants who received protected status from DHS under the Biden administration.
- TPS holders can now file asylum applications
- DHS will process applications under existing refugee framework
- Status change applies to all Venezuelan migrants previously granted TPS
Celebrations in South Florida
After the U.S. captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, early Saturday morning, Venezuelan migrants in South Florida took to the streets to celebrate.
Trump’s Remarks
Trump told reporters Saturday that the U.S. “will run [Venezuela] until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” adding that American oil companies will “fix” the South American nation’s petroleum infrastructure. He noted that Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world.
> Trump stated:
> “We will run [Venezuela] until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition. American oil companies will fix the South American nation’s petroleum infrastructure.”
> Trump added:
> “Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world.”
Rubio’s Comments
Marco Rubio told host Kristen Welker on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the U.S. must first address the flow of drugs, gangs and sanctioned oil from Venezuela before entrusting the country to new leadership.
> Rubio said:
> “We don’t want to be involved with having somebody else get in and we have the same situation that we had for the last long period of years.”
Key Takeaways
- Venezuelan TPS holders can now seek asylum, affecting 600,000 people
- Trump signals U.S. involvement in Venezuela’s oil sector and transition
- Rubio emphasizes tackling drug, gang, and oil sanctions before new leadership
The shift in status and the political commentary underscore the evolving U.S. approach to Venezuelan migrants and the broader geopolitical landscape.
