HIAS Applauds Expansion of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans

SILVER SPRING, Md. — HIAS is applauding the Department of Homeland Security’s announcement of the extension and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans in the United States.

“We are very pleased that the administration has made this common-sense decision to expand TPS for 18 months, allowing nearly half a million Venezuelans to apply for deportation protections and work permits, so they can remain in the U.S. and be financially self-sufficient,” said HIAS President and CEO Mark Hetfield. “Redesignating TPS for Venezuelans will also be a great help to cities that have experienced an influx of asylum seekers bused from border communities, as TPS allows them to work to support themselves and the local economy, rather than putting an unnecessary strain on state and local budgets.”

“We must also keep in mind that Temporary Protected Status is only a bandaid,” Hetfield added. “True to its name, the protection it offers is only temporary, and is limited to a specific population. TPS is just one measure in our toolbox. HIAS continues to call on the administration to expand temporary protections and work authorization for other asylum seekers in this country, and on Congress to address our broken immigration system and pave more efficient pathways to lawful permanent residence.”