• The US Supreme Court allows Trump to revoke Temporary Protected Status for 350,000 Venezuelans.
• This decision exposes many to potential deportation amid ongoing legal battles.
• Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson dissenting highlights concerns over racial bias in the decision.

The US Supreme Court has permitted the Trump administration to end legal protections for nearly 350,000 Venezuelans, who had been allowed to live and work in the United States under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program. This program offers relief to individuals from countries facing war or disasters, allowing them to remain in the US without risk of deportation. The court's unsigned order, typical for emergency applications, lifts a previous ruling by a California judge who had blocked the administration's action, prioritizing a fast-tracked appeal from the government, according to Reuters and HuffPost.

This significant decision positions the Trump administration to proceed with deportations, despite ongoing legal challenges from Venezuelan migrants and advocacy groups who argue that revoking TPS would endanger lives by returning them to a country characterized by turmoil and violence. US District Judge Edward Chen had previously ruled that Trump's actions appeared predicated on negative stereotypes and could be deemed arbitrary and capricious, according to Los Angeles Times and New York Times.

TRT Global and BBC.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the only dissenting voice in this ruling, arguing that the administration's actions lack justification and could be motivated by bias against Venezuelan migrants, as suggested by previous judgments and public statements from officials. Critics have raised concerns over the racial undertones of the claims against Venezuelans purportedly being linked to gang activities, stating that these generalized conclusions are unfounded, according to The Hill and Al Jazeera.

The decision also puts in jeopardy existing protections for nearly two hundred fifty thousand other Venezuelans whose TPS will be up for review in the coming months. This development could further amplify the humanitarian crisis already affecting an estimated 7.7 million Venezuelans who have fled the country due to dire conditions caused by President Nicolás Maduro's regime. Proponents of TPS argue that the ongoing crisis underscores the necessity of maintaining protections, as returning to Venezuela would expose these individuals to extreme risks, according to Le Monde and New York Times.