Court Halts Trump Admin’s Move to Revoke Protected Status of Venezuelans

Judge says the plaintiffs have shown a likelihood of success in demonstrating that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s actions are ‘unauthorized by law.’

Venezuelan illegal immigrants deported from the United States peer through windows of an Eastern Airlines plane upon arriving at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, on March 30, 2025. Cristian Hernandez/AP Photo

A federal judge in California on Monday has put a pause on the Trump administration’s plan to terminate the temporary protected status (TPS) of 350,000 Venezuelan immigrants, whose legal status was set to expire on April 7.

U.S. District Judge Edward Chen issued a nationwide injunction in response to a legal case brought by the National TPS Alliance, putting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s plan to roll back protections granted by the former Biden administration on hold while the case continues.

Noem previously said that the Trump administration would revoke TPS protections for Venezuelans on the grounds that they were contrary to U.S. interests and no longer justified by conditions in Venezuela.

In a 78-page order, Chen said the plaintiffs have shown a likelihood of success in demonstrating that Noem’s actions “are unauthorized by law, arbitrary and capricious, and motivated by unconstitutional animus.”

Chen stated that Noem’s plan to revoke TPS could cause “irreparable harm on hundreds of thousands of people whose lives, families, and livelihoods will be severely disrupted, cost the United States billions in economic activity, and injure public health and safety in communities throughout the United States.”

“At the same time, the government has failed to identify any real countervailing harm in continuing TPS for Venezuelan beneficiaries,” the judge stated.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin told The Epoch Times by email that the department will return TPS to its original status as a “temporary” program following the court order.

“This is yet another example of an activist judge trying to obstruct President Trump’s agenda,” McLaughlin said. “Secretary Noem will continue fighting to return the integrity to the TPS system, which has been abused and exploited by illegal aliens for decades.”

TPS is a designation that allows individuals from countries affected by armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary events the ability to remain in the United States.

In 2021, the Biden administration granted TPS to Venezuelans, citing a “severe humanitarian emergency” caused by political and economic crisis under the South American nation’s leader, Nicolas Maduro. The TPS designation was initially set for 18 months but was later extended until October 2026.

According to the court ruling, about 600,000 Venezuelan immigrants have been granted TPS since the 2021 designation.

Noem said in February that the new Trump administration would revoke the legal status of 350,000 immigrants, while the remaining set to lose their protections in September.

The DHS secretary stated that Venezuela no longer meets the conditions for the designation, citing “notable improvements” in the country’s economy, public health, and crime.

Jose Palma, coordinator of the National TPS Alliance, called the ruling “a legal win” and “a testament to the strength” of the TPS community.

“We will continue this fight with unwavering resolve, not only to protect the future of 350,000 Venezuelans, but to defend all TPS Holders in this Country,” Palma said in a statement.

The National TPS Alliance, a member-led organization of TPS holders, filed the lawsuit in March, alleging that Noem does not have the authority to revoke TPS granted to immigrants and that her actions were driven by racism.

The move to end TPS for Venezuelan immigrants was part of President Donald Trump’s broader campaign to ramp up border security and crack down on immigration and humanitarian programs he says go beyond the intent of U.S. law.

DHS also planned to revoke the temporary legal status of more than 530,000 immigrants who entered the United States under the Biden administration’s humanitarian parole program, known as the CHNV program.

This program allowed entry of people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela if they meet certain requirements, including having U.S. sponsors.

Noem said in a March notice that such parole programs “do not serve a significant public benefit” and are not effective in reducing the levels of illegal immigration in the United States.

She stated that the CHNV program should be terminated because it was not serving the intended purposes and is not aligned with the Trump administration’s foreign policy goals.

Reuters contributed to this report.