DHS Secretary Noem Opens Refugee Pathway for Ex-TPS Venezuelans Following Maduro’s Ouster

WASHINGTON (Visas & Travels) — In the wake of the dramatic U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on January 3, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that Venezuelans who previously held Temporary Protected Status (TPS) remain eligible to apply for refugee resettlement, even as broader U.S. immigration restrictions limit humanitarian pathways.

“Every individual that was under TPS has the opportunity to apply for refugee status,” Noem said in remarks on Sunday. “We need to make sure that our programs actually mean something, and that we’re following the law.”

Noem’s comments come amid profound upheaval in Venezuela following Maduro’s removal from power and ongoing uncertainty for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants in the United States.

Dramatic U.S. Operation Ends Maduro’s Rule

Early on January 3, U.S. forces launched a large-scale strike on Venezuela, targeting military sites in Caracas and capturing Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a raid on their compound. President Donald Trump announced the operation’s success, stating that Maduro had been “captured and flown out of the country” to face long-standing U.S. drug-trafficking and narco-terrorism charges.

Maduro arrived in New York late Saturday and is being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn ahead of an arraignment expected Monday. An unsealed indictment accuses him and his wife of running a “corrupt, illegitimate government” fueled by cocaine trafficking.

The operation has plunged Venezuela into uncertainty, with Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assuming interim leadership and declaring Maduro remains the country’s only president. Streets in Caracas were largely quiet over the weekend, with some government-organized demonstrations protesting the U.S. action and celebrations among opposition supporters.

Venezuela’s Long-Running Crisis Drives Mass Exodus

Maduro’s 12-year rule exacerbated a severe economic and humanitarian crisis that began under his predecessor, Hugo Chávez. Once one of Latin America’s wealthiest nations due to vast oil reserves, Venezuela suffered an 80% economic contraction — the largest peacetime collapse in modern history — marked by hyperinflation, widespread shortages of food and medicine, and crumbling infrastructure.

More than 7.9 million Venezuelans — about 25% of the population — have fled since 2014, creating the largest displacement crisis in the Americas. Most have sought refuge in neighboring countries like Colombia, Peru, and Brazil, but over 1 million have reached the United States, many arriving in recent years amid record border encounters.

Persistent issues include extreme poverty affecting over half the remaining population, child malnutrition, and limited access to healthcare. Despite some stabilization in recent years through partial dollarization and relaxed controls, structural vulnerabilities remain, fueling continued outflows.

TPS Terminations and Limited Refugee Options

The Trump administration terminated TPS designations for Venezuela in 2025, ending protections for roughly 600,000 beneficiaries originally granted under the Biden administration. Courts temporarily blocked some actions, but Supreme Court rulings allowed terminations to proceed, with the final cohort losing status in late 2025.

Noem emphasized case-by-case humanitarian relief over broad programs like TPS or the now-suspended CHNV parole initiative.

However, refugee pathways are severely constrained. The administration set the FY 2026 refugee admissions ceiling at a historic low of 7,500 — prioritizing certain groups — with processing largely paused and regional allocations for Latin America minimal.

Immigration experts note that while former TPS holders can theoretically apply through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP), often requiring UNHCR referral in a third country, intense competition and low caps make approvals rare for Venezuelans.

Mixed Reactions Among Venezuelan Communities

In U.S. cities with large Venezuelan populations, such as Miami, New York, and Houston, reactions to Maduro’s capture have been mixed: celebrations over his ouster tempered by fears of deportation and uncertainty about Venezuela’s future.

Advocates argue the ongoing crisis — despite Maduro’s removal — warrants continued protections. Critics of the administration’s policies say the TPS terminations and low refugee cap have stripped legal status from over a million people in 2025 alone.

Broader immigration shifts include pauses on asylum processing, heightened enforcement, and record deportations.

Immigration attorneys urge affected Venezuelans to seek accredited legal advice for options like asylum claims, though delays are widespread.

Developments remain fluid, with potential legal challenges and evolving conditions in Venezuela. For official guidance, consult USCIS and DHS websites.