Late at night on January 28, Jose Cerrada was scrolling on X after a long day at work. Looking for some distraction before going to bed at around 11 p.m., he came across a post from The New York Times stating, “Trump officials revoke the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) extension for Venezuelans.”
That headline that would soon define his present and future.
“I love this country,” said Cerrada. “I won’t stay here illegally.”
With over 600,000 Venezuelans in the United States fearing the end of TPS, deportation, and a new forced immigration, some are trying to tell the world their stories go beyond the few criminals highlighted by Republicans and some news media. Cerrada, for instance, has had a career that has contributed to the growth of this country.
The 30-year-old Venezuelan fled to Miami from his country in 2021 after graduating as a surgeon from one of the most prestigious universities in Venezuela, the Universidad Central de Venezuela.
Due to the ongoing crisis and the difficulties of prospering in Caracas under President Nicolás Maduro, Cerrada decided to apply for a student visa in the U.S. to improve his English while preparing for the exams required to enroll in a master’s program in medicine.
After almost two years in the U.S., the process of enrolling became difficult due to its high cost. With a student visa, he was not authorized to work, and the money he received from his parents, along with his savings, was running out.
Then in October 2023, President Biden announced the redesignation of TPS for Venezuelans, benefiting those like Cerrada who had been in the U.S. before July 2023. His student visa was about to expire. On October 4, just a day after the program reopened, he submitted his application. His TPS was approved within three weeks. That gave him legal status for 18 months, a work permit, and a Social Security number.
With his new status, Cerrada decided to move to Los Angeles with his girlfriend, who had received a promising job opportunity there. He began working as ophthalmic tech, bought a car, and started building a life. With a stable income, he supported his parents who are still in Venezuela, and had enough left over to save money for his master’s degree.
On January 10, in the final days of the Biden administration, former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced the extension of TPS for Venezuelans, protecting them until 2026. This move came amidst growing concerns about the incoming administration’s hardline immigration stance, including mass deportation plans and the potential suspension of programs established under Biden.
Cerrada re-registered for TPS on January 19, just two days after the application process opened and one day before President Trump took office.
While hoping for the best, he also began researching alternative options in case Trump decided not to renew the program after 2026 and conditions in Venezuela remained unchanged.
Time ran out this past Wednesday, when Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that the Trump administration had revoked the decision to extend TPS, leaving approximately 600,000 Venezuelans vulnerable to deportation.
And then this past weekend the New York Times posted that “Trump Administration Moves to End Protections for Venezuelans in the U.S.”
That mandate will likely affect the group of beneficiaries of 2023, like Cerrada. It puts them at risk of deportation when their TPS expires in the next 60 days.
Noem has until July 12 to make a decision for those whose protections end in September.
For Cerrada, hope is fading.
“These days, I can’t focus at work… The stress we’re experiencing isn’t fair,” He said with frustration.
During the campaign, President Trump repeatedly called immigrants criminals and linked Venezuelans to international gangs such as “Tren de Aragua,” which has been accused of crossing the border illegally and committing crimes in the U.S.
“I personally never felt targeted when (Trump) called Venezuelans criminals,” Cerrada said. “I came here to study and work. Yes, there are criminals, but not only from our nationality. We are not all the same.”
Although the conditions that led to the initial TPS designation have not improved—and in many ways have worsened following the fraudulent reelection of Maduro—Trump officials insist that Mayorkas’ extension was a try to “tighten their hands.”
“We’re all scared, and we don’t know what will happen to us. Besides, persecution will likely start in Venezuela, and that’s terrifying,” Cerrada said when asked whether returning to Venezuela was an option.
“I found that I have options, I have a profession of national interest (EB-2 visa), and I believe I would be approved but I don’t think I’ll have time to apply,” said Cerrada. “This visa costs a lot of money that I don’t really have. If I apply, it’s likely that by the time I get a response, I’ll already be undocumented.”
Cerrada also questioned whether the Trump administration truly understands the reality Venezuelans face. “I don’t know if the (Trump) government truly understands what it’s like to live in Venezuela and why we are fleeing. However, I understand that we are immigrants, and they want to enforce their rules.”
He reflected on the differences between administrations: “With Biden, it was less restrictive, but there was a lack of screening, and as a result, now we are all being filtered as criminals.”
Cerrada hopes that American leaders should reconsider their approach. “We are fleeing decisions we didn’t make. I never voted for Chávez or Maduro,” he said. “I don’t receive government assistance (From the U.S.), I pay taxes, and I only came to contribute and move forward.”
Hundreds of thousands of other Venezuelans are facing the same frustration and anguish over what their future holds. Many fear deportation to the very country they escaped from.
“My mental health is at rock bottom. I don’t know what will happen to me after April 2,” Cerrada concluded.