SCOTUS allows end of immigration program for Venezuelans

The Supreme Court on Monday paused a ruling from a lower court judge to allow the administration to end temporary protections for hundreds of thousands of migrants. Secretary of State Kristi Noem in February terminated the protected status of Venezuelans who entered the country under the designation. The program starting in 2023 allowed migrants to stay in the United States temporarily, determining that conditions in Venezuela prevented them from returning there safely.

Former President Joe Biden had extended the program through early October 2026, but Noem sought to end the designation last month. A separate designation put in place in 2021 that is due to expire in September is not included in the action. A federal judge in San Francisco in March blocked Noem’s revocation of the status and said her decision may have been motivated by unconstitutional animus, or ill will. The Supreme Court’s Monday ruling paused the lower court’s order, paving the way for the case to move on to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

What is temporary protected status? The humanitarian program grants protection from deportation and work authorization for individuals who are already in the United States if their home country has been designated too dangerous for their safe return. Countries experiencing ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters, and other types of upheaval could qualify. The U.S. government typically grants the protected status in increments of six to 18 months and the Secretary of State must approve renewals or terminations.

Have other nationalities lost their protections recently? Noem in March terminated the status for citizens of Afghanistan. That termination will take effect in July. Meanwhile, Noem extended the designation of temporary protected status for South Sudan nationals to the beginning of November this year.

What other immigration issues has the court considered recently? The high court last week extended an injunction that blocks the Trump administration from deporting suspected gang members under the Alien Enemies Act. Federal officials had been using the act to swiftly deport hundreds of alleged gang members to a prison in El Salvador. Meanwhile, the justices are still considering an emergency appeal by the administration to allow the government to revoke parole for migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

Dig deeper: Read Josh Schumacher’s report about the Trump administration ending legal status for Afghan citizens.