Trump administration seeks SCOTUS intervention to end protections for 350,000 Venezuelans

05/09/2025 / By Ava Grace

The Trump administration petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 350,000 Venezuelans, risking their deportation and overturning a lower court ruling that blocked the expiration of protections.
The TPS program shields migrants from unsafe conditions (e.g., war, disasters), and Venezuela was designated in 2021 due to its economic and political crisis. However, the administration argues the program is misused for permanent residency.
The administration challenges a judge’s ruling halting TPS termination, claiming it oversteps executive authority.
Critics warn deportation would disrupt lives and economies, as many recipients are long-term U.S. residents. Returning them to Venezuela’s ongoing crisis could endanger lives.
The Supreme Court’s decision may set a precedent for executive power over humanitarian programs, affecting not just Venezuelans but other TPS holders and future immigration policy.

The Trump administration has escalated its immigration enforcement agenda by petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 350,000 Venezuelan nationals.

The Department of Justice‘s (DOJ) emergency request filed Thursday, May 1, seeks to overturn a lower court ruling that blocked the expiration of TPS – which had been set to end on April 7. If successful, the move could pave the way for these nationals to be returned to their home country.

This legal battle represents the latest front in the administration’s broader effort to unwind immigration programs abused during the Biden administration. It would affect not only Venezuelans but also hundreds of thousands of Haitians, Salvadorans and others. The case now hinges on whether the high court will intervene – a decision with profound implications for immigration policy, national security and the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. (Related: Federal judge blocks Trump administration’s order to deport over 500K migrants with Temporary Protected Status.)

Created by Congress in 1990, TPS is a humanitarian program that shields foreign nationals from deportation if their home countries are deemed unsafe due to war, natural disasters or other crises. It grants recipients the right to live and work legally in the U.S. for 18-month periods, subject to renewal.

Venezuela was designated for TPS in 2021 under the Biden administration, citing the country’s economic collapse, political repression and humanitarian crisis under Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s socialist regime. However, the Trump administration had previously sought to dismantle TPS for multiple nationalities, arguing the program was being abused as a backdoor to permanent residency.

Will the high court side with Trump or Venezuelans?

The administration’s emergency appeal filed Thursday targets a March ruling by U.S. District Judge Edward Chen, an Obama appointee, who halted the termination of TPS for Venezuelans. Chen argued that abruptly ending protections would cause “severe disruption” to families, employers and local economies.

The judge’s March decision cited studies estimating that removing TPS protections could cost the U.S. economy billions in lost productivity and tax revenue. Many Venezuelan TPS recipients work in essential industries like healthcare, construction and food services. Meanwhile, Venezuela remains in crisis with rampant hyperinflation, food shortages and political persecution.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer, representing the administration, countered that Chen’s order impermissibly interferes with the executive branch’s authority over immigration and foreign policy. The DOJ insists that ending TPS does not automatically trigger deportations, as recipients may pursue other legal avenues to stay.

The Supreme Court’s decision could set a precedent for how much discretion the executive branch has in terminating humanitarian protections. The Trump administration has already ended TPS for Haitians, Salvadorans and others, though court challenges have delayed enforcement.

This case also underscores the deepening divide between federal judges and the executive branch over immigration authority. Just hours before the Supreme Court filing, a Texas judge blocked a separate Trump administration effort to deport Venezuelans under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798.

Whether the high court intervenes or allows lower court rulings to stand, the outcome will reverberate far beyond this single program, shaping the future of who gets to stay in the U.S. and why. For 350,000 Venezuelans and potentially hundreds of thousands more, the stakes could not be higher.

Follow InvasionUSA.news for more stories about illegal immigration in America.

Watch Alex Jones of InfoWars revealing that the Biden administration purposely imported the violent Tren de Aragua gang into the U.S., straight from Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro himself.

This video is from the Rick Langley channel on Brighteon.com.