On Sept. 20, the Biden administration announced an extension of a program that allows immigrants who fled certain countries because of dangerous conditions to temporarily live and work in the U.S. This program is called “Temporary Protected Status” (TPS) and the latest announcement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) expanded eligibility for people from Venezuela.
Prior to Sept. 20, 242,700 Venezuelans had received Temporary Protected Status. With the recent announcement, an additional 472,000 Venezuelans may be eligible to apply for TPS.
During a Sept. 21 segment on Jesse Watters Primetime, the Fox News host said if these Venezuelans had a mailing address, they would now get an election ballot, implying that they would be able to vote in the upcoming presidential election.
On X, a post with more than 120,000 views also talks about what rights the migrants would have.
“Last night, America became 500,000 Venezuelans richer. That’s right! The Biden administration gave 500K Venezuelan illegals their citizenship status with a snap of the finger. Now they can work! Now they can VOTE. And now they can have all the benefits, compliments of YOUR tax dollars. We are losing our country,” the post says.
THE QUESTION
Will ‘500,000 Venezuelans’ with Temporary Protected Status be able to vote in the presidential election?
THE SOURCES
THE ANSWER
No, Venezuelans with Temporary Protected Status won’t be able to vote in the presidential election. TPS does not grant anyone the right to vote.
WHAT WE FOUND
People who enter the U.S. and are granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are able to temporarily work and live in the U.S. without the threat of deportation, but they aren’t given voting rights in federal elections. That’s because you must be a U.S. citizen to vote in a federal election.
According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), TPS is an immigration status provided to nationals of specifically designated countries that are confronting an ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or extraordinary and temporary conditions.
TPS doesn’t give people permanent resident status or U.S. citizenship. Non-U.S. citizens aren’t eligible to vote in federal elections.
According to USA.gov, you can only vote in federal elections if you meet all of the following conditions:
- Are a U.S. citizen
- Meet your state’s residency requirements
- Are 18 years old on or before Election Day
- Are registered to vote by your state's voter registration deadline
Some jurisdictions allow non-citizens to vote in local elections.
So for Venezuelans, or anyone with TPS, the rights included with this status don’t include the right to vote in U.S. federal elections.
The TPS program was established by the U.S. Congress in 1990 with a goal of providing relief to people with unsafe home countries. Here is a full list of countries with current TPS designations:
The expansion of eligibility for Venezuelans in the U.S. is based on “Venezuela’s increased instability and lack of safety due to the enduring humanitarian, security, political, and environmental conditions,” DHS said on Sept. 20.
In the U.S., a TPS designation can be made for six, 12 or 18 months at a time. Once the TPS designation expires, if the person is not eligible for other immigration benefits, they would no longer be authorized to live in the U.S. and could be deported.
The Council on Foreign Relations says though they are not considered lawful permanent residents or U.S. citizens, many TPS recipients have lived in the U.S. for more than twenty years. That is because TPS designations can be extended depending on the country.
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