Democratic Rep. Slams Ruling Allowing Deportation Of Venezuelans: 'Atrocious Decision'

Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz slammed on Monday the Supreme Court ruling allowing the Trump administration to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans, paving the way for their deportation.

In a social media post, the lawmaker said that "Venezuelan TPS holders fled the Maduro regime and built lives in America," and that the "atrocious decision allows Trump to deport non-criminals back to a murderous dictator."

"This fight is NOT over. We must pass my Venezuela TPS Act to keep our community safe," Wasserman Schultz added. She was making reference to a bill introduced on May 9 that would extend TPS for about 600,000 Venezuelans for 18 months. She introduced the bill along with Democrat Darren Soto and Republican Maria Elvira Salazar.

"TPS beneficiaries are not criminals, they're here legally and those with criminal records don't qualify for this protection. I'm proud to join this bipartisan effort to protect Venezuelan families in my district and prevent them from being unjustly separated while we continue the fight for a free and prosperous Venezuela under democratic leadership," the lawmaker said.

The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that the Trump administration can revoke TPS for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans in the country after granting an emergency application from the administration to reverse a decision by the Biden administration to extend protection for recipients.

Solicitor General John Sauer had argued that the district court order currently preventing the termination "wrested control of immigration policy away from the Executive Branch," and insisted that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's determination to end protections was lawful and based on national interest.

The decision in question was issued back in March by U.S. District Judge Edward Chen, who issued a temporary injunction against the termination stating that "the secretary's action threatens to inflict irreparable harm" on hundreds of thousands of people and could cost the U.S. billions in economic activity.

TPS offers deportation relief and work authorization to migrants from countries facing war, disaster, or extraordinary conditions. The Biden administration granted TPS to Venezuelans in 2021, citing repression, humanitarian collapse, and civil unrest under President Nicolás Maduro. The Trump administration has argued that those conditions no longer justify continued protections.

President Donald Trump has consistently denounced Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro and supported the Venezuelan opposition, but the revocation of TPS marks a shift from his first administration, during which he granted Venezuelans Deferred Enforced Departure status on his last day in office.