The U.S. Supreme Court has granted the Trump administration's request to halt a lower court ruling. This allows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to end the 'temporary protected status' (TPS) designation for approximately 300,000 Venezuelans.
The Biden administration had released these individuals into the country. The original protected status covered about 600,000 Venezuelans, split into two groups with statuses ending in April 2024 and March 2025.
The Trump administration rescinded the Biden order, including parole programs and TPS for Venezuelans, after over 1 million Venezuelans entered the U.S. illegally. The administration has designated Tren de Aragua (TdA) a foreign terrorist organization and is working to deport its members.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California attempted to block the administration's decision. The Supreme Court stayed this decision on Monday, pending further appeals.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated that ending Venezuelan TPS aligns with the original temporary intent of the program. She added that continuing TPS for illegal border crossers is not in the national interest.
DHS stated that the TPS system has been exploited. As an example, Haiti has had TPS designation since 2010, with the number of eligible Haitians increasing from 57,000 in 2011 to 520,694 by July 2024.
In February, DHS rescinded TPS for Haitians, effective August 3. The Biden administration saw nearly 700,000 Haitians illegally enter the U.S.
Last week, DHS announced the termination of TPS for Afghan nationals, expiring May 20 and terminating July 14. This follows reports of inadequate vetting of Afghans released into the U.S. after the 2021 withdrawal.
Between fiscal years 2021 and 2023, Border Patrol apprehended individuals on the terrorist watchlist from 36 countries. From fiscal years 2021-2024, 1,903 known or suspected terrorists (KSTs) were apprehended, with 64% coming from Canada.