Florida's Venezuelans in limbo as Trump ends immigration protections
Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans in Florida face deportation after the White House this week ended protections put in place under the Biden administration, saying it would not extend them as part of its broader policy to curb immigration.
The decision affects Venezuelans who received temporary protected status in 2023 and have protection through April. Another group, who obtained protected status in 2021, may keep their protection until September, when it is set to expire.
The move, first reported by the New York Times, indicated that once the Trump administration issues the termination notice, those impacted will have 60 days before losing their deportation protection and work permits. No date was given for when the notice would be released.
The decision sparked concern and criticism. According to the Congressional Research Service, more than half a million Venezuelans have temporary protected status, a federal designation often renewed automatically every 18 months. Almost 60% of Venezuelans with temporary protection status live in Florida.
Erlinda Mendoza, a 58-year-old Venezuelan mother, was granted temporary protected status two years ago. Mendoza crossed a jungle between Colombia and Panama known as the “Darién Gap” on her way to the southern U.S. border. She left Venezuela in 2022 and met her son in Ecuador. Their trek took eight days.
https://www.tampabay.com/news/2025/02/04/floridas-venezuelans-limbo-trump-ends-immigration-protections/
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