Washington, D.C. (January 8, 2026) – A new episode of the Center for Immigration Studies’ podcast examines Venezuela, U.S. foreign policy, and the immigration consequences that follow intervention abroad. Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies, and George Fishman, senior legal fellow, discuss whether recent U.S. actions in Venezuela could reshape migration flows, and whether legal tools such as the Alien Enemies Act still apply now that Nicolas Maduro is no longer in power.
The discussion follows years of record Venezuelan migration during the Biden-era border crisis, driven by economic collapse, political repression, and the Maduro regime’s ties to transnational criminal and terrorist organizations. Vaughan draws on her
recent analysis detailing Venezuela’s role in actively creating an environment for Tren de Aragua and Hezbollah to expand their size and reach – including into the United States.
The episode explores whether renewed U.S. pressure on Venezuela’s leadership could improve conditions and reduce migration, while also raising questions about the future of more than 600,000 Venezuelans currently protected under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Fishman explains the statutory requirements of TPS, ongoing court challenges, and how changes in country conditions may affect future renewals, removals, and third-country deportations.
Vaughan and Fishman also address asylum policy, including whether claims based on conditions tied to the former regime remain valid and the government’s authority to revisit asylum grants if circumstances change.
Finally, the episode assesses the continued relevance of the Alien Enemies Act, a wartime statute that gives the president broad authority to detain and remove citizens of an enemy state. While Maduro may be gone, Fishman explains that indictments linking senior Venezuelan officials to state-backed criminal organizations raise unresolved questions about whether hostile activity persists.
Mark Krikorian, executive director and podcast host, points out that U.S. foreign policy decisions often carry lasting immigration consequences, for better or worse. History shows that intervention abroad can reshape immigration patterns; the U.S. has a history of involvement overseas resulting in new large immigrant communities at home.
