SILVER SPRING, Maryland — Today, the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that the Biden administration would extend Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for Venezuela but would not redesignate the country to allow applications from those who arrived after the initial designation in March 2021.

“The decision not to redesignate TPS for Venezuela is misguided and leaves approximately 250,000 Venezuelans who have recently fled the ongoing socioeconomic and political crisis of the Maduro regime with no relief,” said Anna Gallagher, executive director of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. “While we welcome the warranted move by DHS to extend TPS status for Venezuela, we know that failure to redesignate will put hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans who fled seeking refuge at risk — in violation of humanitarian principles as well as what we, as Catholics, believe is our duty to shelter those in need."

Venezuela is a country in turmoil — in the midst of an unprecedented social and economic collapse that has led to hyperinflation, starvation and the second largest migration crisis in the world. TPS was established to protect those who are unable to return to their home country, and the ongoing crisis in Venezuela makes it clear that humanitarian protection for Venezuelans remains imperative.

Given this immense need, CLINIC urges DHS and the Biden administration to review country conditions and reconsider their decision to withhold redesignation for Venezuela. Earlier this year, CLINIC, alongside nearly 200 partner organizations, called on the Biden administration to extend and redesignate TPS for Venezuela.

“We pray for Venezuelans who will be unable to access TPS due to this decision and who will fear being returned to a context of instability and violence. We pray that, after further review, the Biden administration considers redesignating TPS for Venezuela immediately to offer protection to our neighbors seeking refuge,” Gallagher concluded.

CLINIC continues to call on the Biden administration and DHS to use TPS as it is intended and immediately designate TPS for Ethiopia and Mauritania.