Supreme court allows deportation of Venezuelans under Trump-era policy

Updated June 01, 2025

The supreme Court has cleared the way for the deportation‌ of approximately 350,000 Venezuelans who were
​ ​‌ previously granted temporary protected status (TPS) under the Biden administration. this decision allows the
⁤ Trump⁢ administration’s policy regarding immigration policy ⁤and temporary protected status to proceed.

In a brief order,‍ the justices granted a fast-track appeal, setting⁤ aside a San Francisco federal judge’s
decision that had blocked the repeal announced by former‍ Homeland Security ⁣Secretary kristi Noem. Justice
‌ ⁤ Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.

the ruling impacts Venezuelans who arrived in the U.S. by 2023 and were unable to return to their⁣ home country
⁣‍ due ​to the humanitarian crisis under Nicolás Maduro’s government. ⁢An additional ⁤250,000 Venezuelans who arrived
‌ ​ ‌ by‌ 2021 will remain protected ​until September.

Ahilan ‍Arulanantham, co-director of the Center for Immigration‌ law and Policy at UCLA School of Law, called the
Supreme Court’s authorization “shocking,” emphasizing the immediate and long-term humanitarian and economic
⁣ impacts.

The Supreme court’s decision also affects another special authority used by the Biden administration. ‍Trump’s
‌ ⁣ lawyers have also sought to revoke⁣ the “grant of parole”⁤ that ‍allowed over 500,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti,
​ Nicaragua, and ⁢Venezuela to ‌legally enter the U.S.

The TPS,⁣ granted under⁢ a 1990 law,​ allows the U.S. to provide relief to immigrants unable to return home due to
armed conflict, natural disasters, or​ other extraordinary conditions. Alejandro Mayorkas, then-Homeland Security
‍ secretary, had extended the TPS for Venezuelans for 18 months.

Solicitor general ⁤D. John Sauer argued‌ that TPS provides temporary, not permanent, relief. Noem stated that the
⁣special protection was “contrary to the ​national interest,” and made controversial statements regarding
⁢ ‍ Venezuelans ⁤entering the U.S.

The ACLU and the Center for Immigration Law and ⁣Policy at UCLA School ‌of Law filed ⁣suit, arguing that ​conditions
in Venezuela remain dangerous. Judge Edward Chen​ initially blocked Noem’s repeal order, citing a lack of
​⁤ reasoned explanation and potential unconstitutional ⁤animus.

The state Department recently reissued⁣ an “extreme danger” travel advisory for Venezuela, urging Americans to
leave or prepare for meaningful risks.

Trump’s lawyers argued that‍ the plaintiffs woudl have​ the ability‌ to challenge removal individually through
⁣ immigration courts.

“This is the largest single action⁤ stripping any group of non-citizens of immigration status in ‍modern U.S.history. That the Supreme​ Court ⁤authorized it in a⁤ two-paragraph ‍order with no reasoning is truly shocking.The humanitarian and economic ‌impact of the Court’s decision ⁣will be felt instantly, and will reverberate
‍ ‍ for generations.”

— Ahilan Arulanantham, co-director of the Center ‍for Immigration Law and Policy at UCLA School of ‍Law

What’s next

The immediate impact will be felt as ⁣employers might potentially be forced to terminate ​workers whose permits are ‍invalidated,
‍ potentially leading to economic hardship ⁣for families and communities across the country.