Supreme Court Backs Trump on Venezuelan Deportation Plan/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The U.S. Supreme Court approved a Trump administration request to end protections for 350,000 Venezuelans. The ruling could lead to widespread deportations under a rollback of Temporary Protected Status. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented in the case.
Venezuelan Deportation Ruling Quick Looks
- Supreme Court allows Trump to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans.
- Over 350,000 individuals now risk deportation from the U.S.
- Just one dissenting vote came from Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
- Federal judge had blocked the policy, citing economic and humanitarian harm.
- The administration argues the court overstepped executive immigration powers.
- TPS protects migrants from nations facing disaster or civil conflict.
- Trump is also seeking to end humanitarian parole for 4 nationalities.
- Deportation plans include Venezuelans accused of gang ties, under rare wartime law.
- Judge Edward Chen’s block had delayed April 7 TPS expiration.
- Ending TPS may affect up to 600,000 Venezuelans and 500,000 Haitians.
Deep Look: Supreme Court Sides with Trump in Bid to End Venezuelan Protections Under TPS Program
WASHINGTON, May 19, 2025 — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday to allow President Donald Trump’s administration to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 350,000 Venezuelans currently residing in the United States. The decision marks a major win for the administration in its broader immigration agenda and clears the way for possible deportations.
TPS provides work authorization and legal residency for migrants from countries deemed unsafe due to conflict, natural disaster, or political instability. The designation had shielded hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans from removal, citing their home country’s deepening humanitarian and economic crises.
In a brief, unsigned order, the high court halted a ruling by U.S. District Judge Edward Chen that had temporarily blocked the Trump administration from terminating the program. The court’s decision did not offer reasoning, as is typical in emergency rulings, but noted that only Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented.
Judicial Clash: Executive vs. Judiciary Over Immigration Authority
Judge Chen, appointed by former President Barack Obama, had previously argued that ending TPS for Venezuelans would cause widespread harm—potentially displacing hundreds of thousands of families and causing economic disruptions measured in the billions. His order preserved the protections past their scheduled expiration on April 7, 2025.
The Trump administration quickly appealed, contending that Judge Chen’s ruling unlawfully infringed upon executive authority over immigration and foreign policy. Solicitor General D. John Sauer argued that the TPS termination decision was well within the administration’s legal jurisdiction.
“The decision to terminate TPS is not equivalent to a final removal order,” Sauer wrote, suggesting that affected individuals might have other legal avenues to seek residency or remain in the U.S.
More Than Venezuelans Affected: Wider Immigration Rollbacks Underway
This ruling is the latest in a series of Trump administration efforts to scale back immigration protections. The White House has asked the court to greenlight the termination of humanitarian parole programs affecting migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela—programs shielding hundreds of thousands from deportation.
Further, Trump officials have invoked the Alien Enemies Act, an obscure wartime law from the 18th century, to expedite deportations of Venezuelan nationals accused of gang affiliations. These legal maneuvers signal an aggressive, multi-pronged immigration crackdown.
The administration also plans to terminate TPS for 500,000 Haitians, alongside the 600,000 Venezuelans who have benefited from the program. TPS is typically renewed in 18-month increments, with expiration timelines tied to conditions in the home country.
Justice Jackson Dissents: Warning of Precedent and Human Impact
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented from the majority ruling, signaling concerns about the long-term implications of judicial deference to executive immigration powers. While the court did not release her full opinion, her dissent aligns with broader warnings from immigrant advocates who fear political misuse of TPS revocations.
Immigrant rights groups, legal analysts, and humanitarian organizations argue that rescinding protections amid ongoing instability in Venezuela could endanger lives and create chaos in immigrant communities across the U.S.
What Comes Next: Uncertain Legal and Humanitarian Landscape
Though the Supreme Court’s decision does not immediately remove Venezuelans from the country, it eliminates a key legal shield that had prevented removals. With TPS now effectively expired, U.S. immigration authorities may begin issuing notices of deportation or requiring migrants to seek alternative legal pathways to remain.
Legal experts expect further challenges in lower courts and potential Congressional efforts to reinstate protections or create a path to legal status.
The case also adds pressure on Congress, which created the TPS program in 1990 as a safeguard against deportations to countries experiencing turmoil. No legislation currently exists to renew Venezuelan TPS independently of executive action.
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