US Court Blocks Trump’s Plan to End Protections for Venezuelans
In a significant development, a federal appeals court has blocked US President Donald Trump’s plans to end protections for approximately 600,000 people from Venezuela who have permission to live and work in the United States. The court’s decision comes as a relief to Venezuelans who had been struggling to adjust to life in the US after fleeing political and economic instability in their home country.
The protections, known as Temporary Protected Status (TPS), had been extended by the administration of former US President Joe Biden, but were set to expire in May for 350,000 Venezuelans. Trump’s administration had announced plans to end the protections, citing improvements in Venezuela’s situation, despite widespread opposition from human rights groups and Democratic lawmakers.
However, a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled on Friday that the administration’s plan to end TPS for Venezuelans was unlawful. The court found that the administration had failed to provide adequate justification for ending the protections, which were granted in 2019 due to the political and economic crisis in Venezuela.
The court’s decision is a major victory for the Venezuelan community in the US, who had been living in limbo for months, unsure of their future in the country. Many had built new lives in the US, finding work and starting families, and were reliant on the TPS program to continue living and working in the country.
The TPS program was established in the early 1990s to provide humanitarian relief to individuals from countries affected by natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary circumstances. It allows eligible individuals to live and work in the US temporarily, pending a resolution of the crisis in their home country.
Venezuela has been plagued by political and economic instability since the early 2010s, when President Nicolás Maduro took power. The country has experienced widespread shortages of food and medicine, and millions of people have fled the country in search of better living conditions.
In 2019, the Trump administration extended TPS for Venezuelans, citing the ongoing crisis and humanitarian needs. However, Trump’s administration subsequently announced plans to end the protections, citing improvements in Venezuela’s situation. The administration argued that the country was no longer experiencing a “serious temporary disruption” that prevented the safe return of Venezuelans.
However, human rights groups and Democratic lawmakers strongly opposed the plan to end TPS for Venezuelans, citing the ongoing crisis in the country and the humanitarian needs of Venezuelans living in the US.
The court’s decision is a significant setback for Trump’s administration, which had been seeking to restrict immigration and limit the number of people entering the US. The decision is also a victory for the Venezuelan community in the US, who will be able to continue living and working in the country under the TPS program.
In a statement, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) hailed the court’s decision, saying that it “affirms the humanity and dignity of Venezuelan individuals who have been forced to flee their country due to political and economic crisis.”
The court’s decision is not final, and the Trump administration may appeal the ruling to the US Supreme Court. However, for now, the protections for Venezuelans will remain in place, providing a sense of relief and security for those who have been living in limbo for months.
