ORLANDO, Fla. — According to a memorandum from new Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will no longer accept Venezuela Temporary Protection Status re-registration applications.

It's a move that could strip temporary protection status from certain immigrants, including more than 600,000 Venezuelans.

Central Florida immigration attorney Alain Rivas said he saw an influx in phone calls Wednesday.

What You Need To Know

  • Thousands of Venezuelans are uncertain about their futures after the Department of Homeland Security rolled back protections for them

  • Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem canceled an extension on their Temporary Protection Status that was set to go until October 2026

  • President Donald Trump also signed the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the federal detention of illegal immigrants accused of many crimes

  • Immigration attorney Alain Rivas and criminal attorney Jose Rivas say they have received an influx of calls from their nervous clients

“My office has received dozens and dozens of calls today with people asking what comes next," Alain Rivas said.

The memorandum from Homeland Security might stop the renewal of Temporary Protection Statuses (TPS) for Venezuelans who escaped the civil unrest in their country and has left them with a lot of uncertainty.

“So today, with an executive order, the majority of 600,000 Venezuelans have an uncertain future here in the U.S. because they have lost their temporary status, and they can be removed and they can be moved into removal proceedings," Rivas said.

TPS allowed Venezuelans and other immigrants to call the United States home and gave them an employment authorization and even a license to be able to live their lives freely in this country.

But now that protection is gone.

“By the Trump administration essentially taking away the temporary status, those benefits will be taken away, and they become undocumented immigrants, illegals practically overnight," Rivas explained.

On top of the possible TPS status change, President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed into law the Laken Riley Act, which mandates the federal detention of illegal immigrants accused of crimes like theft, burglary, assault or any serious crime causing death or injury.

It's something that Rivas’ brother Jose said challenges constitutional rights.

“What this act does is (it) says if you’ve been arrested and if you’ve been charged, or convicted or admitted to a crime, then the federal government can take you into custody," Jose Rivas explained.

Rivas said it can also impact those accused of petty crimes.

“So, we’re taking someone now who is a first-time offender, something as simple as, you know, stealing a T-shirt at a Walmart, for example, and we’re going to detain you," Jose Rivas said. "It doesn’t matter if you’re guilty. It could be based on someone else’s testimony. But where is the due process?”

While they say a lot of people are living in fear, the Rivas brothers are trying to help their clients keep their hopes up.

“What happened today is incredibly heartbreaking, but eventually, I believe that the administration in this country will do the right thing. It always has eventually," Alain Rivas said.

Noem canceled the Jan. 10 extension on the 2023 Venezuela TPS designations by former Homeland Security secretary Alexander Mayorkas. 

On Jan. 17, Mayorkas had issued a notice extending the 2023 designation of Venezuela for TPS for 18 months through Oct. 2, 2026.

According to Noem's new order, it now calls that extension notice “negligible."

The order also states that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will provide additional guidance regarding the two Venezuela TPS designations “on a future date in accordance with applicable laws.”