U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stated that Venezuelans who were protected by Temporary Protected Status (TPS) still have a legal way to remain in the country, as they can apply for asylum or refugee status.

The statement comes amid a scenario marked by the elimination of the immigration program and by growing political tension following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

“Every individual who was under TPS has the opportunity to apply for refugee status, and that evaluation will continue,” Noem said during an interview on Fox News Sunday.

The official defended the Trump administration's decision to end TPS earlier this year, which protected nearly 600,000 Venezuelan migrants who had received the benefit under the Biden administration.

Noem explained that the elimination of TPS is part of an effort to “restore integrity” to immigration programs and ensure they are implemented in accordance with the law.

She assured that decisions on this matter are made in coordination with the State Department and the White House, and maintained that, after Maduro's capture, Venezuela is "freer than yesterday." "The intention is that these programs really mean something," the secretary stated, insisting that the possibility of requesting asylum allows for an individual evaluation of each case. However, the measure has generated concern among thousands of Venezuelan families who, after years in the United States, fear losing protection from deportation and authorization to work. Miami Mayors Press to Reinstate TPS The elimination of TPS has provoked an immediate reaction from local leaders in South Florida. Miami Mayor Eileen Higgins asked President Trump to reverse the measure, considering that the situation in Venezuela remains dangerous and unstable. "The elimination of TPS was reckless,“Dangerous and misguided,” she said in a statement, in which she warned that no one should be forced to return “to chaos and uncertainty.” Higgins emphasized that the Venezuelan community in Miami—the largest in the country—has built its life in the United States and has contributed significantly to the city. “This is not just a matter of politics, it is a matter of basic human dignity and security,” she said, reiterating that Miami will continue to be a haven for those fleeing oppression. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava echoed this sentiment, calling the elimination of TPS a “reckless and dangerous” decision that leaves too many people without legal pathways to remain in the country. While she celebrated Maduro’s departure from power, she questioned the way the operation was carried out and expressed concern about the precedent it could set. As Washington redefines its strategy toward Venezuela, thousands of Venezuelan migrants in the United States remain attentive to the next steps. government steps, clinging to the possibility of new legal protections amid a landscape fraught with uncertainty.