Deported Venezuelans land at Maiquetía International Airport, February 10, 2025. Photo: Ministry of Interior, Justice, and Peace.
Guacamaya, March 7, 2025. On Friday, the attorneys general of 18 Democratic states filed a motion to maintain Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans. The legal action, presented through their attorneys general, is based on the “amicus curiae” argument, a legal figure that allows third parties to offer arguments in an ongoing lawsuit.
A total of 600,000 Venezuelans benefit from TPS to reside in the United States, according to the Department of Homeland Security. This measure prevents their deportation, arguing that their home country is not safe for repatriation.
The states involved in the legal motion are the District of Columbia, Washington, Vermont, Rhode Island, Oregon, New Jersey, Nevada, Minnesota, Michigan, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Illinois, Hawaii, Delaware, Connecticut, New York, and California. The information was confirmed by international lawyer Leopoldo Martínez Nucete, who detailed the states involved.
The documentation was filed in a federal court in California, where the lawsuit against the revocation of TPS for Venezuelans is being heard. The main lawsuit was filed on February 20 by the National TPS Alliance (Ntpsa) and other migrant advocacy organizations, alleging that the elimination of the benefit is illegal and motivated by discrimination.
According to the document, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Kristi Noem, made the decision to overturn an extension of the status just three days after taking office, despite the measure having already been officially published in the Federal Register.
The TPS designated for Venezuelans in 2023, which prevents their deportation, is set to expire on April 7, 2025. The DHS made the announcement on February 5.
The Trump administration considers the continued presence of TPS beneficiaries to be “contrary to the national interest.” This stance contrasts with the situation of thousands of Venezuelans, as those who obtained the status in 2023, specifically 384,202 people, will be affected by the measure. In contrast, those who received it in 2021 will maintain their protection until September 10.
