Venezuela is facing an unprecedented crisis. Two powerful earthquakes, occurring almost simultaneously, struck the country’s central region on June 24, causing the collapse of hundreds of buildings, nearly 2,000 deaths, 10,600 injuries, and leaving thousands of people displaced or missing. Now more than ever, we must stand in solidarity with this tragedy and reinstate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans in the United States, who are working tirelessly to help their affected families.
Today, Venezuela is in no condition to receive its migrants. In fact, more than 100 Venezuelans recently deported from the United States became trapped in a hotel that collapsed following the powerful earthquakes. The group had arrived just hours earlier on a flight from Miami carrying 146 deportees, including women and children. Some survivors managed to escape the rubble and walked through the streets in search of help while rescue efforts continued.
To make matters worse, Venezuela’s fragile public health system, which was already in crisis before the earthquakes, is reaching its breaking point. With damaged hospitals, insufficient medical personnel, and shortages of basic supplies, the country must care for a massive number of injured people while also combating infectious diseases spreading throughout the disaster zone.
TPS Was Created for Disasters Like This
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is an immigration program created by Congress in 1990 during the administration of George H. W. Bush. Its purpose is to provide protection from deportation and work authorization to citizens of countries affected by armed conflicts, natural disasters, or other humanitarian emergencies.
The first country to receive TPS designation was El Salvador because of its civil war. In the following years, the program was expanded to include citizens of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala after the devastating effects of Hurricane Mitch. Later, in 2001, the administration of George W. Bush redesignated TPS for El Salvador following the earthquakes that struck the country, protecting hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans.
Venezuelans in Immigration Limbo
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans was established in response to the humanitarian crisis affecting the South American nation in 2021 and 2023. Following Donald Trump’s return to the White House, both TPS designations for Venezuelans were terminated.
In general, TPS no longer protects individuals whose work permits expired during 2024 or 2025.
It Is Time to Reinstate TPS
Humanitarian catastrophes like this are precisely why TPS was created. The widespread destruction caused by the earthquakes places Venezuela squarely within the program’s intended criteria. It will take a long time for the country to recover.
Experts warn that the death toll could be significantly higher than officially reported, as bodies continue to be recovered from the rubble and morgues have exceeded their capacity. Meanwhile, survivors face an escalating humanitarian crisis. According to United Nations agencies, the earthquake generated 1.2 million tons of debris, and thousands of displaced people remain in makeshift shelters or out in the open, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks and unsanitary conditions.
Following the arrest of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro in January of this year, President Donald Trump stated on multiple occasions that his administration was "in charge" and controlling the situation in Venezuela. It is time for those words to become actions. It is time to send aid to the South American nation and protect the Venezuelan community living in the United States by reinstating TPS.
Find this article in Spanish here.