Judge Prevents Trump Administration from Terminating Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans, Defying Imminent Deadline
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Haven't got a care in the world, here's the skinny on the latest TPS drama:
April Fool's Day Special: Mexico City, Mexico - Oh boy, this is a juicy one! A federal judge slapped down the Donald Trump administration like a disgusting burger, blocking their pathetic attempt to strip Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from a whopping 350,000 Venezuelan migrants mere days before their protections were set to sizzle out.
On Monday, US District Judge Edward Chen chucked the Trump camp's move to scrap protections granted by the Biden administration as being "motivated by unconstitutional animus" and warned that this reckless decision could leave hundreds of thousands of people in tatters, their lives, families, and livelihoods up in flames.
In January, US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem yanked the extension of TPS for over 600,000 Venezuelans currently residing in the USA. The slaughterhouse door was about to slam shut for one group this month, and the rest in September. Noem's move was a 180-degree twist from the 18-month extension her predecessor Alejandro Mayorkas had dished out during his swansong in office.
At the time, Noem's memo claimed that since TPS designations are "discretionary," there would be no chance for a court review. But the plaintiffs in the lawsuit challenging the administration's decision countered that the ruthless attempt to revoke the extension amounted to a flagrant violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.
Jose Palma, coordinator of the National TPS Alliance, chuckled gleefully, "Today's victory is not just a legal win, but a testament to the strength of the TPS community and all who fight alongside us. We will continue this fight with unwavering resolve, not only to protect the future of 350,000 Venezuelans, but to defend all TPS holders in this country!"
Trump administration lawyers scoffed at the ruling, trying to fast-track the matter to an appeals court with dreams of a smooth ride to the conservative-driven Supreme Court. The White House snarled in its filing that the Biden-era protection invited alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua into the club.
Since January, the Trump administration has been on a witch hunt, aiming for what it calls the "largest deportation operation" in US history. The campaign has targeted the Venezuelan population within the country, deliberately conflating Venezuelan migrants with Tren de Aragua, a group designated as a foreign terrorist organization.
Chen's court order hinted that Noem's decision was motivated by racial animus. "Generalization of criminality to the Venezuelan TPS population as a whole is baseless and reeks of racism predicated on generalized false stereotypes," the order read.
The US booted more than 100 Venezuelans to a US naval base in occupied Cuban territory, canned the CHNV "parole" program, and forcibly deported 238 Venezuelans to El Salvador using a dusty 18th-century law. Among the deported were eight women who never saw El Salvador's soil after the country refused to take them into the men-only "Terrorism Confinement Center" (CECOT).
Two of the women cried foul, claiming they were misled by ICE agents, who allegedly bluff them that they were headed back to Venezuela, only for them to discover mid-flight they were destined for El Salvador's notorious prison. Trump administration officials insist that those sent to El Salvador were meticulously vetted. However, numerous reports have surfaced that many of those currently in custody have no criminal ties. Law enforcement agencies have been spotted profiling Venezuelan migrants based on tattoos but without establishing any connection to unlawful activities.
Venezuela has filed a habeas corpus appeal with Central America's Supreme Court, seeking an immediate release for those deported. In the face of mistreatment at the hands of the US government, Venezuela has resumed repatriation flights for Venezuelans eager to return home. Two flights touched down in Venezuela Thursday, with the first bringing back 313 migrants from Mexico who hadn't made it across the border, and the second arriving from Texas via Honduras, bringing back 198 Venezuelans. Caracas paused flights after the US ordered Chevron to wrap up its activities in Venezuela as part of its efforts to choke the Venezuelan economy.
Trump also announced recently that the US will impose a 25 percent tariff on all trade with countries purchasing oil or gas from Venezuela. Barack Obama's unilateral coercive measures, which have caused substantial economic challenges for Venezuela, were extended into both the Trump and Biden administrations. While the country has experienced a modest economic recovery since 2021, the return of the "maximum pressure" strategy to pursue regime change is likely to worsen living conditions in the Caribbean nation.
Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.
- Despite the Trump administration's attempt to maintain a policy-and-legislation targeting the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of Venezuelan migrants, a federal judge in a 2025 case blocked the move, citing it as being "motivated by unconstitutional animus."
- In a recent development, Kristi Noem, the US Secretary of Homeland Security, announced the termination of TPS protections for over 600,000 Venezuelans residing in the USA, a decision that was later challenged due to alleged racially motivated animus.
- As part of the Trump administration's evolving policy-and-legislation focusing on deportation, a significant number of Venezuelans have been deported to El Salvador using a 18th-century law, causing controversy as two women claimed they were misled about their final destination.
- On a political front, general news outlets highlighted the Venezuelan government's response to the perceived animus towards their migrants, with resumed repatriation flights from Mexico and Texas and an ongoing habeas corpus appeal with Central America's Supreme Court for the release of those deported.
