The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for about 350,000 Venezuelans. This decision puts many Venezuelan immigrants at risk of deportation while legal battles continue in lower courts. The court’s brief order issued Monday gave the Department of Homeland Security permission to stop protecting Venezuelan nationals from removal. These protections had let them live and work legally in the United States.
Temporary Protected Status is a program that protects people from countries experiencing war, natural disasters, or severe unrest. Venezuelans received TPS because of political chaos, economic collapse, and human rights abuses under Nicolás Maduro’s government. President Joe Biden extended TPS for Venezuelans just days before Trump returned to office, allowing those fleeing danger to stay and work legally.
The Trump administration argues that the program is no longer needed and wants to end TPS for Venezuelans. Ending the program fits with Trump’s broader immigration crackdown and plans to increase deportations. Earlier this year, a federal judge temporarily blocked the move. Judge Edward Chen said the administration’s reasons were unfair and based on harmful stereotypes. He noted many Venezuelans in the U.S. follow the law and commit fewer crimes than the average population.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld this ruling. In response, the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to allow the end of TPS. The Supreme Court agreed, except for one dissenting justice. Immigrant groups and TPS recipients warn that ending protections could harm many people. They fear deportation to Venezuela, which remains unsafe with political unrest and poor services.
Lawmakers have called the decision harsh and urged Congress to pass laws protecting Venezuelan TPS holders permanently. The Justice Department says the president has the authority to decide immigration policies and argues courts should not block executive decisions like ending TPS. They say immigration rules need to stay flexible and under executive control as Congress intended.
The U.S. State Department continues to warn against travel to Venezuela due to ongoing violence and a lack of medical care. The U.S. embassy in Caracas has been closed since 2019. Although this Supreme Court ruling is a temporary win for the Trump administration, legal challenges continue in lower courts. Congress may also act to protect Venezuelan TPS holders.
The Trump administration has already ended TPS for groups from other countries, including Afghans and Cameroonians. Critics say some TPS holders have been arrested despite protections against detention based solely on immigration status. The future of Venezuelan TPS recipients depends on court decisions and possible new laws from Congress.
