On May 19, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court lifted a district court order that had temporarily postponed the April 7 termination of the 2023 Venezuela Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation. The ruling allows the Trump administration to end legal protection for roughly 350,000 Venezuelans now living in the United States under a program that had protected them from deportation known as TPS. The U.S. Supreme Court granted the Justice Department’s request to lift a judge’s order that had halted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s decision to terminate TPS under the 2023 designation for Venezuela.
The termination of the 2023 designation may open the door for possible deportations soon. The decision appears to state that that the group has effectively lost their status and employment authorization. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services may release guidance regarding its implementation of the reinstated termination.
Venezuelans in the United States with TPS are divided into two groups: those who received TPS in 2021 when the Biden administration initially designated Venezuela for TPS, and those who received TPS when the program was extended in 2023. This Supreme Court decision does not affect the approximately 250,000 Venezuelans who were given the protection in 2021.
TPS allows people to live and work in the United States legally if their home countries are deemed unsafe, including wars, natural disasters, or other “extraordinary and temporary” conditions.
Employers should be aware that some workers may lose their work authorization and ability to remain lawfully in the United States with limited notice. Employers should review their workforce for employees relying on Venezuelan TPS. Employers can then review expiration dates and determine if impacted employees have alternative immigration options. At the same time, employers should avoid any premature terminations pending further guidance from the U.S. government. Finally, employers should have a workforce contingency plan.
Employers should refer to the TPS webpage for updates.