Judge blocks Trump admin from ending protections for Haitians, Venezuelans

A US judge ruled 600,000 Venezuelans can keep living and working in the US, restoring temporary protections that had expired or were set to lapse on September 10

A federal judge on Friday ruled against the Trump administration from ending temporary legal protections that have granted more than 1 million people from Haiti and Venezuela the right to live and work in the United States.

The ruling by US District Judge Edward Chen of San Francisco for the plaintiffs means 600,000 Venezuelans whose temporary protections expired in April or whose protections were about to expire September 10 have status to stay and work in the United States.

Chen said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's actions in terminating and vacating three extensions granted by the previous administration exceeded her statutory authority and were arbitrary and capricious.

 

Temporary Protected Status is a designation that can be granted by the Homeland Security secretary to people in the United States, if conditions in their homelands are deemed unsafe for return due to a natural disaster, political instability or other dangerous conditions.

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.