Judge blocks Trump administration from revoking protected status for thousands of Venezuelans

A national justice connected Friday blocked the Trump medication from revoking the impermanent protected presumption of astir 5,000 Venezuelans who are successful the U.S., contempt Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s February decision to terminate a Biden-era hold of the program.

U.S. District Judge Edward E. Chen successful San Francisco ruled Friday that thousands of Venezuelans who received paperwork extending their protected presumption during a little play earlier this twelvemonth could support it. That play began erstwhile then-Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas extended protected presumption for Venezuelans successful January and ended erstwhile Noem terminated it successful February.

Chen wrote that if their paperwork has their protected presumption ending successful October 2026, those Venezuelans should not beryllium eligible for deportation portion the lawsuit is ongoing.

The National TPS Alliance and the Department of Homeland Security did not instantly respond to NBC News’ petition for remark connected Friday’s order.

It’s the latest determination successful a ineligible saga that could impact astir 350,000 Venezuelans who successful 2023 were granted the close to temporarily unrecorded and enactment successful the U.S.

The National TPS Alliance and 7 Venezuelan TPS holders sued the Department of Homeland Security aft Noem and the Trump medication stripped Venezuelans of their protected presumption soon aft the caller president was inaugurated.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs successful the lawsuit alleged that Noem’s determination was racially discriminatory and violated ineligible procedures.

They besides cited Mayorkas’ determination successful the waning days of the Biden medication to widen impermanent protected presumption for Venezuelans done October 2026.

After a national justice overseeing the lawsuit blocked President Donald Trump and his medication from terminating protected presumption for Venezuelans portion the tribunal lawsuit played out, the Trump medication asked the Supreme Court to intervene. And earlier this month, successful a two-paragraph order, the United States’ highest tribunal allowed the Trump medication to revoke TPS for Venezuelans contempt the ongoing case.

The Trump administration’s determination to terminate ineligible presumption for Venezuelans nether TPS comes amid a broader propulsion for wide deportations. Since the commencement of the 2nd Trump medication successful January, the authorities has detained and deported tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants.

And different deportation attempts person besides drawn ineligible challenges, similar the lawsuit of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Maryland antheral whom the medication admitted was mistakenly deported to El Salvador.