Federal judge halts Trump admin from ending protected status for some Venezuelans [View all]

Source: The Hill

05/31/25 8:09 PM ET


A California judge on Friday halted the Trump administration from revoking temporary protective status (TPS) for 5,000 Venezuelans. U.S. District Judge Edward E. Chen, an Obama appointee, said Friday the White House would have to uphold the TPS extension granted by former Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in January.

His successor, Kristi Noem, attempted to erode the protective status for Venezuelans in February by terminating a Biden-era order extending their ability to obtain updated paperwork, including work permits and other documents.

“According to Plaintiffs, Secretary Noem exceeded her statutory authority when she effectively canceled, on February 3, 2025, TPS-related documentation that had already been issued based on the extension to October 2, 2026. Plaintiffs’ position is meritorious. Nothing in the TPS statute allows the Secretary to take such action,” Chen wrote in the order. Chen later wrote, “The extension had real world consequences: it was effective, even if only for a brief period of time.”

The Supreme Court previously issued an emergency order allowing the Trump administration to strip legal protections for migrants.
However, their ruling does not block legal challenges contesting Noem’s decision. Attorneys for the plaintiffs said her decision was racially discriminatory.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5327430-federal-judge-halts-trump-admin-from-ending-protected-status-for-some-venezuelans/