Search Results for keywords:"Venezuela"

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it is ending the parole programs for citizens from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela (CHNV programs) that were previously established. These programs allowed certain inadmissible individuals and their families to enter the U.S. for urgent reasons or significant public benefit. DHS decided to terminate these programs due to insufficient benefits, increased illegal immigration, and inconsistency with the current administration’s policy goals. Notice of termination is effective as of March 25, 2025, requiring individuals under these programs to leave the U.S. by April 24, 2025, unless individual extensions are granted.

The memorandum, issued by the Executive Office of the President, addresses the crisis in Venezuela under the leadership of Nicolas Maduro. It emphasizes the need to extend Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for certain Venezuelans in the U.S., due to the dire situation in their homeland. The order defers the removal of Venezuelans living in the U.S. as of January 20, 2021, for 18 months, except for specific categories of individuals outlined in the document. Additionally, the Secretary of Homeland Security is directed to allow employment for those whose deportation has been deferred.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the cancellation of a previous decision by former Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas regarding Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuela. Mayorkas' decision, made on January 10, 2025, had extended TPS for Venezuela and simplified the application process for current TPS holders from both the 2021 and 2023 designations, allowing them to keep their status until October 2, 2026. The new DHS decision, effective immediately, nullifies the previous extensions and restores the original expiration dates for the 2021 and 2023 designations. DHS will cease processing any re-registration applications filed under Mayorkas' notice and refund related fees.

On October 3, 2023, Venezuela was designated for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) due to conditions in the country that made it unsafe for Venezuelans to return home. This status was set to expire on April 2, 2025. However, after reviewing the situation in Venezuela, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security decided that it's against the U.S. national interest for Venezuelans to remain in the U.S. under the 2023 TPS designation. As a result, this designation is being terminated, effective April 7, 2025. The termination doesn't affect the 2021 TPS designation for Venezuela, which remains active until September 10, 2025.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has announced the addition of several individuals to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List. These individuals, who are current or former officials of the Venezuelan government, will have their property and interests in property under U.S. jurisdiction blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with them. This action is based on OFAC's determination that the legal criteria for such a designation have been met under executive orders related to the situation in Venezuela.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced the removal of certain individuals and entities from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List. This action means that the property and financial interests of these individuals and companies, which were previously blocked due to their connection to the situation in Venezuela, are no longer restricted by the U.S. government. The update includes detailed information about the individuals and companies affected by this change. The announcement can be found on OFAC’s website.

The Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) has added individuals to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List. This action blocks all property and property interests within U.S. jurisdiction of these individuals, prohibiting U.S. persons from transacting with them. Two individuals from Venezuela, Lorena Carolina Cornelies Ruiz and Ramon Antonio Torres Espinoza, have been specifically identified based on legal criteria. The list and additional information are available on OFAC's website.

The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) decided that getting rid of antidumping duty orders on silicomanganese from India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela would likely cause harm to a U.S. industry. The ITC began these reviews on May 1, 2024, and chose to do expedited reviews in August 2024. They completed these determinations by December 4, 2024, concluding that the antidumping orders should stay in place to protect U.S. industry. This decision is documented in the ITC's publication titled Silicomanganese from India, Kazakhstan, and Venezuela: Investigation Nos. 731-TA-929-931 (Fourth Review).

The President of the United States has decided to continue the national emergency concerning Venezuela for another year. This situation was initially declared in Executive Order 13692 in 2015 due to concerns about human rights issues, political persecution, restrictions on the press, and corruption in Venezuela. Since there has been no improvement in these conditions, the emergency status, which poses a threat to U.S. national security and foreign policy, will remain in effect. The decision will be documented in the Federal Register and shared with Congress.

In a proclamation issued on March 9, 2025, President Donald J. Trump designated this date as U.S. Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day. This day is set aside to honor American citizens held unjustly abroad and their families, with a strong commitment to securing their release and bringing them home safely. The President highlighted past successes in freeing 13 Americans from various countries, including Venezuela, Afghanistan, Belarus, Russia, and those held by Hamas. He urged Americans to observe this day with relevant activities and reminded them of the Congressional designation established through Public Law 118-31, approved in December 2023.