Business Owners Fear Fallout From TPS Decision on Venezuelans \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ The Supreme Court has cleared the way for President Trump to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for over 350,000 Venezuelans, alarming business owners reliant on their labor. Employers like Wilmer Escaray in Florida now face uncertainty about their workforce’s legal status. Immigrants and advocates say the move threatens livelihoods and deepens legal limbo.
Quick Looks
- Supreme Court lifts block on ending Venezuelan TPS
- Over 350,000 Venezuelans now face risk of deportation
- Florida businesses fear labor shortages, legal uncertainty
- Most affected work in hospitality, construction, food, and health care
- Escaray’s 150 workers in “Little Venezuela” face uncertain futures
- No DHS timeline given for official TPS termination
- Legal status for TPS-based work permits still unclear
- Employers seeking immigration alternatives: EB-2, agricultural visas, asylum
- Venezuelan President Maduro denounces TPS withdrawal as “cruel”
- TPS recipients contribute over $31B to U.S. economy
- Tampa employer William Paredes calls situation “limbo”
- Immigration attorneys urge proactive legal planning
- Families with U.S.-born children fear separation and return
- Some TPS holders have asylum cases still pending
Deep Look
A wave of anxiety is sweeping through South Florida’s Venezuelan community after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a judicial hold on the Trump administration’s plan to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 350,000 Venezuelan immigrants. The decision has cast deep uncertainty over families, workers, and the business owners who depend on them—particularly in Doral, Florida, known as “Doralzuela” for its dense Venezuelan population.
Wilmer Escaray, who owns 15 restaurants and three markets in the Miami-area city, said he is overwhelmed and unsure how to proceed. At least 70% of his 150 employees are Venezuelans who rely on TPS to work legally in the United States.
“The impact for the business will be really hard,” Escaray said. “I don’t know yet what I am going to do. I have to talk with my team and my family to see what the plan will be.”
TPS Reversal Sparks Legal and Economic Chaos
TPS, designed to shield immigrants from deportation due to war, disaster, or civil unrest in their home countries, has served as a temporary lifeline for many Venezuelans fleeing the Maduro regime. Escaray and other employers in Florida’s thriving hospitality and retail sectors have long depended on TPS holders to power their operations.
But on Monday, the Supreme Court vacated a lower court ruling that had paused the Trump administration’s effort to end TPS for Venezuelans. While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) welcomed the ruling, it has not provided a timeline or guidance for employers and TPS beneficiaries, leaving thousands in limbo.
According to immigration attorney Evelyn Alexandra Batista, some TPS-related work permits remain valid for now, but nothing is guaranteed. “This means that employers and employees alike should be exploring all other alternative options,” she said.
Exploring Alternatives in a Race Against Time
With TPS designed as a temporary measure, Batista and other attorneys are urging clients to explore other legal pathways—such as EB-1 visas for individuals with extraordinary abilities, E-2 investor visas, and agricultural work visas. Some TPS holders have asylum or green card petitions pending, but it’s unclear whether that will delay deportation.
The uncertainty is sparking panic. Batista says she’s received hundreds of calls from both workers and employers trying to understand their rights and options. “This is not just about immigration,” she said. “It’s about the survival of businesses and the stability of families.”
Economic Impact Looms Large
The American Business Immigration Coalition estimates that TPS holders contribute more than $31 billion annually to the U.S. economy through wages and spending. While there are no specific figures for Venezuelans alone, they make up one of the largest TPS populations in the country, especially in Florida.
“These are workers who pay taxes, who support their communities, and who fill critical roles in sectors like food service, health care, and construction,” said Rebecca Shi, CEO of the coalition. “This decision leaves business owners with very few options.”
Escaray, whose operations span a city where Venezuelan food, culture, and enterprise thrive, fears having to lay off valued employees. “I want to keep them. They’re part of the team, part of the community,” he said. “But we have to respect the law.”
Tampa Entrepreneur Also Hit Hard
The anxiety reaches beyond Doral. William Paredes, a former Venezuelan police officer who fled threats from political opponents, now runs a small window tinting business in Tampa. He employs four other Venezuelans who, like him, depend on TPS to stay and work legally.
“This is my and my family’s economic support,” said Paredes. “If I think about it too much, I get depressed. We’re in limbo.”
Paredes and his family, including his American-born daughter, could now be divided if deportations proceed. He lost his asylum case but remained in the country under TPS, assuming that status would shield him.
“I’m too scared. Just the thought of going back to Venezuela gives me goose bumps,” he said.
Venezuelan Government Condemns the Move
Back in Caracas, President Nicolás Maduro condemned the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision. “TPS was a minimal protection they had. Now it’s been taken away from them,” he said during a televised address.
While the statement may ring hollow to critics of Maduro’s regime, it reflects how politically and emotionally charged the issue has become—both in the U.S. and abroad.
What Happens Now?
The Department of Homeland Security has yet to provide details about when TPS will officially end or whether there will be a grace period for compliance. Employers like Escaray and Paredes are left guessing how long their workforce will remain legally authorized.
For now, attorneys recommend preparing backup immigration options while keeping track of DHS announcements and future court rulings.
“We need clarity and compassion from the government,” Escaray said. “Our businesses—and our people—depend on it.”
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