Homeland security secretary says Venezuelan leader needs to protect America against drug trafficking and terrorists<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kristi Noem<\/a>, the US homeland security secretary, said on Sunday that the US wants a leader in Venezuela<\/a> who will be \u201ca partner that understands that we\u2019re going to protect America\u201d to stop drug trafficking and \u201cterrorists from coming into our country\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Noem indicated in an interview on Fox News Sunday<\/a> that the immigration status of Venezuelan nationals living in the US under temporary protected status (TPS) was part of an administration-wide decision-making process that her department would follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVenezuela today is more free than it was yesterday,\u201d Noem said, adding that \u201cevery individual that was under TPS has the opportunity to apply for refugee status\u201d. She added: \u201cWe need to make sure that our programs actually mean something, and that we\u2019re following the law.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Four months ago, Noem terminated the 2021 Biden-era designation of TPS for Venezuela, affecting over 250,000 Venezuelans living in the US, after determining it is \u201ccontrary to the US national interest<\/a>\u201d. Those covered joined around 350,000<\/a> Venezuelans stripped of temporary protected status under a previous order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Florida is home to over half of Venezuelan TPS holders in the US who have seen their legal status and work permits revoked under the Trump administration<\/a>, with many there now in legal battles to remain in the US.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Saturday, Elaine Higgins, the Democratic mayor of Miami, called on the Trump administration<\/a> to restore TPS status to Venezuelan immigrants in the US saying the revocation \u201cwas reckless, dangerous, and wrong\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe instability unfolding in Venezuela today makes it even clearer that the country remains unsafe for people to return. No one should be forced back into chaos and uncertainty,\u201d Higgins added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Under the order stripping Venezuela of TPS status, a DHS spokesperson has said<\/a> that Venezuela\u2019s \u201csubstantial role in driving irregular migration\u201d to the US had \u201cdirectly\u201d undermined the Trump administration\u2019s immigration policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Noem said that Donald Trump\u2019s message to Venezuela\u2019s Delcy Rodriguez<\/a>, named interim president by authorities following Nicol\u00e1s Maduro<\/a>\u2019s capture<\/a> by the US on Saturday, were \u201cvery matter-of-fact and very clear: you can lead or you can get out of the way, because we\u2019re not going to allow you to continue to subvert American influence and our need to have a free country like Venezuela to work with rather than to have dictators in place who perpetuate crimes and drug trafficking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n