Supreme Court Stay Threatens Safety and Livelihoods of 350,000 Venezuelan Immigrants

WASHINGTON D.C.—Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court granted the government’s request to stay the district court’s order in NTPSA v. Noem, a case challenging DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s wrongful termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelan and Haitian nationals. This deeply troubling decision allows the government to move forward with stripping legal status and work authorization from approximately 350,000 Venezuelan immigrants who have sought refuge in the United States and cannot safely return to Venezuela.

“The Supreme Court’s decision to stay the lower court’s injunction puts thousands of families in immediate danger,” said Robyn Barnard, Senior Director of Refugee Advocacy at Human Rights First. “This action will have a catastrophic impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who are now at risk of losing their ability to work legally, access basic services, and live without fear of detention, deportation, and separation from loved ones, all while the case continues to move through the courts. Stripping people of this temporary protection makes no sense given the ongoing crisis and dangerous conditions in Venezuela, which makes it unsafe for many to return. This is a devastating blow to all of the people who have rebuilt their lives here under the protection of TPS, and who now face renewed and unnecessary uncertainty and fear.”

Human Rights First calls on the United States to honor its commitments to those fleeing humanitarian crises. 

To speak with Barnard please contact [email protected]