US Supreme Court allows Trump administration to revoke protected status for Venezuelan migrants

WASHINGTON -- US Supreme Court on Monday allowed the administration of President Donald Trump to revoke protected status for thousands of Venezuelan migrants, which could lead to the deportation of many.

The US highest court approved an emergency request from the administration, allowing officials to proceed with overturning a decision by the previous Biden administration that had extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections to nearly 350,000 Venezuelans.

The TPS is a designation by the US government that provides temporary immigration relief to individuals from certain countries experiencing extraordinary conditions, such as ongoing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other crises that make it unsafe for nationals to return to their home country.

Citing political instability in Venezuela, the Biden administration announced in March 2021 that Venezuelans would qualify for the TPS, a federal program established in 1990 to offer humanitarian assistance to foreign individuals in need.

The Supreme Court's latest decision followed closely on the heels of a ruling three days earlier that dealt a blow to the Trump administration's strict immigration policies in a separate case involving Venezuelan detainees.

In that case, the court halted the Trump administration's efforts to deport Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador under the wartime-era Alien Enemies Act of 1798, citing the government's failure to adequately inform these individuals of its deportation plans.