WESTON – Venezuelans living in South Florida say they are overwhelmed with fear and uncertainty after President Donald Trump‘s decision to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelan migrants, a move that puts approximately 600,000 people at risk of deportation.
“The situation now is really terrible for the people. They feel scared, and they don’t feel safe anymore,” said Carolina Lagos, a Weston restaurant owner whose family emigrated from Venezuela.
Lagos and her family, who opened Weston’s first Latin restaurant, Arepas Magnet Plus, 26 years ago, said the decision is creating panic in the community.
Adelys Ferro, executive director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, said the Trump administration’s move isn’t just targeting violent criminals but hardworking people who followed legal channels to stay in the U.S.
“They decided to abandon the only people who actually followed the legal process, applied for work permits, paid taxes, and tried to build a life in the United States,” Ferro said. “They are not criminals. In order to get TPS, you have to pass a very thorough background check.”
More than 7 million Venezuelans have fled the country since Nicolás Maduro took power in 2013, with many seeking refuge in the U.S. in recent years.
Lagos and Ferro both believe the Venezuelan community is being unfairly targeted.
“It’s not fair. The decision is separating families,” Lagos said.
“Yes,” Ferro added. “When they need us, they use us – our pain and our crisis – for political gain.”
Under the Biden administration, protections for Venezuelans were extended until October 2026. Now, that timeline reverts to two separate designations, one expiring in April and another in September.
