As the imminent end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans approaches, various exile organizations in Miami made an urgent appeal this Tuesday to President Donald Trump to defer deportations of their fellow nationals for a period of at least 18 months.
The request comes at a time of maximum tension for the Venezuelan diaspora in the United States, after the Supreme Court earlier this month gave the green light to the termination of TPS for Venezuelans.
This decision leaves approximately 600,000 Venezuelans in immigration limbo, who now face the possibility of deportation upon losing their work permits and protection against removal.
Organizations such as Venezuelans Persecuted Politically in Exile (VEPPEX) and the Venezuelan-American Alliance (AMAVEX) have urged the White House to grant “Deferred Enforced Departure” (DED).
DED is a discretionary measure by the president that does not grant immigration status but does temporarily suspend deportations to a specific country and allows beneficiaries to apply for employment authorization.
Leaders of the Venezuelan community argue that the humanitarian, political, and social crisis in Venezuela has not improved and that forced return to their country of origin would pose a serious danger to those who have fled Nicolás Maduro’s regime. “No one can be sent back to Venezuela under current conditions. It would be sending them to a scenario of torture, persecution, and hunger,” stated a community spokesperson.
The request directly appeals to the Trump administration’s stance against the government in Caracas. Exiles note that while they support the hardline policy against the regime, it is contradictory to push for democratic change in Venezuela while simultaneously deporting citizens who have sought refuge in the United States.
Many Venezuelans who once politically supported Trump now feel unprotected and express their bewilderment. “We voted to remove Maduro, not to remove Venezuelans from the United States,” is a sentiment echoed throughout the South Florida community.
To date, the White House has not issued an official response to the exiles’ request. Meanwhile, the Venezuelan community in Miami and across the country lives in uncertainty, awaiting a presidential decision that could drastically affect their future.
