Washington, D.C. — On May 19, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration, allowing it to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for around 350,000 Venezuelans by lifting a California federal judge’s order that had preserved Biden-era deportation protections. The decision advances the administration’s immigration goals, potentially exposing Venezuelan migrants to deportation amid their homeland’s ongoing crisis.
The case, Noem, Sec., DHS, et al. v. Nat. TPS Alliance, et al. (24A1059), arose after DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s February 3, 2025, decision to cancel a TPS extension for Venezuelans, set to expire October 2, 2026.
The National TPS Alliance and seven Venezuelan TPS holders sued, alleging violations of the Administrative Procedure Act and racial bias, citing discriminatory remarks by Noem and President Trump.
On March 31, 2025, Judge Edward Chen in the Northern District of California (Case No. 3:25-cv-1766) blocked the termination, citing likely legal violations and harm to TPS holders, such as family separations. The Ninth Circuit upheld this on April 18, 2025.
The Trump administration appealed, arguing Noem’s authority to end TPS was not subject to judicial review.
The Supreme Court granted a stay, pausing the injunction pending the Ninth Circuit’s appeal and a potential writ of certiorari. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.
The ruling does not affect separate challenges to Noem’s vacatur of related employment documents.
Immigrant advocates, including the ACLU, warn of mass displacement for Venezuelans, who have lived in the U.S. since TPS was granted in 2021 due to Venezuela’s political and economic turmoil under President Nicolás Maduro.
The Ninth Circuit will hear the appeal in July 2025, leaving the future uncertain for Venezuelan TPS holders as the legal fight continues.
Copyright 2023-2025 FloridaWord.com
