In a significant development with far-reaching implications for U.S. immigration policy, the Supreme Court has cleared the way for the Trump administration to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nearly 350,000 Venezuelans currently living in the United States.
The decision marks a major reversal of policies enacted under former President Joe Biden and signals a renewed hardline approach to immigration under President Donald Trump’s second term.
The ruling comes after the Department of Justice, now under Trump’s leadership, requested that the Supreme Court lift an injunction imposed by U.S. District Judge Edward Chen.
Judge Chen had previously blocked the Department of Homeland Security from ending TPS protections for Venezuelans, arguing that the move was both legally flawed and potentially rooted in discriminatory stereotypes.
TPS is a humanitarian designation that grants deportation relief and work permits to foreign nationals from countries suffering from armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary conditions.
Venezuela was granted this status by the Biden administration in both 2021 and 2023 due to the country’s ongoing political turmoil, economic collapse, and humanitarian crisis. Just days before leaving office, Biden extended those protections through 2026.
However, after taking office in January, Trump swiftly moved to rescind the 2023 extension through his Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem. This move, which affects nearly 350,000 Venezuelans, was met with immediate legal challenges from TPS recipients and advocacy groups who argue that Venezuela remains unsafe for return.
READ ALSO: VIDEO: Drone Footage Shows Hamas Operative Targeted in Precision IAF Strike
Judge Chen ruled that the revocation violated federal administrative law and criticized the administration’s justification, calling it “baseless” and “racially charged.” He cited that Venezuelan TPS holders are statistically more educated and commit fewer crimes than the average U.S. population, directly pushing back against narratives used to support the revocation.
Despite Chen’s ruling and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals declining to pause it in April, the Supreme Court ultimately sided with the administration, agreeing that immigration policy decisions fall under the discretion of the Executive Branch.
READ ALSO: Israel Launches “Gideon’s Chariots” Offensive in Gaza, Strikes Hundreds of Targets (VIDEO)
In their Supreme Court brief, Justice Department lawyers argued that the lower court had overstepped by interfering with policy decisions that demand flexibility and speed.
The decision has sparked a wave of concern among immigration advocates, who warn that ending TPS for Venezuelans could lead to mass deportations, economic disruption, and send vulnerable individuals back to a country the U.S. State Department currently advises against traveling to. The warning cites Venezuela’s high risk of wrongful detentions, terrorism, kidnapping, crime, and a deteriorating health system.
This move is part of a broader shift in Trump’s immigration agenda, which has already included the termination of TPS protections for Afghans and Cameroonians earlier this year. While those decisions are not part of this specific case, they underscore a wider crackdown on temporary immigration programs.
As legal experts, humanitarian organizations, and policymakers digest the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision, the future remains uncertain for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants who have built lives in the United States under the protection of TPS — now at risk of being abruptly upended.
Discover more from Scoop Hub
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.