At 12:01 a.m. on November 8, 2025 the Trump administration’s decision to terminate the 2021 Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Venezuela became effective, instantly putting an estimated 240,000 Venezuelans out of status. In North Texas—home to one of the fastest-growing Venezuelan communities—law firms and advocacy groups reported a surge of frantic calls as work authorizations lapsed overnight.
KERA News interviewed Dallas immigration attorney Jaime Barron, who warned that former TPS holders are now subject to detention if traffic-stopped and could lose their jobs once employers run routine I-9 reverification checks. Many affected individuals have lived in the United States for more than a decade and have U.S.-born children.
![Expiration of Venezuelan TPS leaves hundreds of thousands facing deportation]()
Employers with Venezuelan staff should immediately audit I-9 records for expiring TPS-related Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) and explore alternative options such as asylum, family-based petitions or non-immigrant status changes (for example, L-2 or H-4 if married to a principal visa holder). Failure to act could expose companies to workforce disruptions and potential penalties for employing unauthorized workers.
The development also raises humanitarian concerns: shelters in Houston and Miami are preparing for a spike in requests as former TPS holders lose work authorization. Several business coalitions—including the Texas Association of Business—have urged Congress to pass a bipartisan fix to protect long-term residents critical to sectors ranging from construction to health care.
KERA News interviewed Dallas immigration attorney Jaime Barron, who warned that former TPS holders are now subject to detention if traffic-stopped and could lose their jobs once employers run routine I-9 reverification checks. Many affected individuals have lived in the United States for more than a decade and have U.S.-born children.
Employers with Venezuelan staff should immediately audit I-9 records for expiring TPS-related Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) and explore alternative options such as asylum, family-based petitions or non-immigrant status changes (for example, L-2 or H-4 if married to a principal visa holder). Failure to act could expose companies to workforce disruptions and potential penalties for employing unauthorized workers.
The development also raises humanitarian concerns: shelters in Houston and Miami are preparing for a spike in requests as former TPS holders lose work authorization. Several business coalitions—including the Texas Association of Business—have urged Congress to pass a bipartisan fix to protect long-term residents critical to sectors ranging from construction to health care.
