Trump wrongly ended protections for Venezuelan migrants, US appeals court rules | World News
A US appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump’s adminration likely broke the law when it ended temporary protections from deportation for Venezuelan migrants, Reuters reported on Friday.
The San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld an earlier decision that Homeland Security Secretary Kri Noem probably lacked the authority to cancel a Biden-era extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans.
Judge Kim McLane Wardlaw, writing for the three-judge panel, said that Venezuelans in the programme “were suddenly faced with the fear of prematurely losing their status within a matter of weeks or months.” She added that Congress had intended TPS to be “predictable, dependable, and insulated from electoral politics.”
Story continues below this ad
What TPS provides
TPS offers migrants from countries facing war, natural disasters or other crises protection from deportation and permission to work in the United States.
The Biden adminration had extended TPS for Venezuelans until October 2026. But in February, Noem overturned that decision, saying there had been “notable improvements” in Venezuela’s conditions.
The ruling came in a case brought several Venezuelan migrants and the National TPS Alliance. However, the Supreme Court earlier placed a hold on lower court orders, which allowed the Trump adminration to proceed with ending protections for about 348,000 Venezuelans.
The injunction remains paused while any further appeal is considered. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment, Reuters said.
