The U.S. Supreme Court gave the green light this Monday to the government of Donald Trump to proceed with revoking the special legal protections shielding more than 300,000 Venezuelan immigrants in the country.
The decision will allow officials to move forward with ending the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) granted during the Biden administration, amid an ongoing judicial process in lower courts.
In this regard, the high court accepted an urgent request filed by the U.S. government, meaning actions to reverse the TPS extension for Venezuelans can proceed.
The order was brief and noted that progressive Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson had previously rejected a similar petition, but the legal process remains open in lower courts, leaving the possibility of future judicial decisions.
Program that has benefited Venezuelans for four years
Due to the political and social crisis in Venezuela, the Biden administration announced in March 2021 that Venezuelans would be eligible for the federal Temporary Protected Status program, in effect since 1990.
This program aims to provide humanitarian aid to people from countries affected by wars, natural disasters, or other calamities. Beneficiaries receive legal status and work authorization for up to 18 months, with the possibility of extension.
The litigation before the Supreme Court began after a designation in October 2023 and was extended in January, just before Donald Trump assumed the presidency again. In February, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem attempted to reverse those protections, which would mean their expiration this year.
However, a judge in the Northern District of California blocked that measure due to concerns about possible racial bias. Attorney General D. John Sauer argued in his emergency request that courts lacked the authority to review that decision.
Image: DiarioNY
