“This unconstitutional action forces nearly 600,000 Venezuelans and their families currently living in the U.S. with TPS protection into the untenable position of potentially being forced to return to a country experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the history of the Western hemisphere,” the plaintiffs said in a joint statement.
A coalition of Venezuelan immigrants and advocacy organizations have filed two separate lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s decision to terminate temporary immigration protections.
According to NBC News, the lawsuit was filed on behalf of Venezuelan immigrants in California, as well as members of the non-profit immigrant rights groups CASA and Make the Road New York. Collectively, the plaintiffs allege that Trump’s decision to revoke the “Temporary Protected Status” of Venezuelans is unlawful, unconstitutional, and racially discriminatory.
“This unconstitutional action forces nearly 600,000 Venezuelans and their families currently living in the U.S. with TPS protection into the untenable position of potentially being forced to return to a country experiencing one of the worst humanitarian crises in the history of the Western hemisphere,” the plaintiffs said in a joint statement.
NBC News notes that the lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in Greenbelt. It names plaintiffs including the federal Department of Homeland Security and its Trump-appointed secretary, Kristi Noem.
One of the immigrants involved in the lawsuit, a Venezuelan mother identified by the initials “E.B.,” said that the Trump administration’s revocation of TPS “threatens not just me, but also my son, my elderly parents, and the life we have fought so hard to build.”
“This lawsuit is not just about me: it’s about every TPS holder who has built a life here, every parent fighting for their child’s future, and every family thrown into crisis overnight,” E.B. said in a statement. “We need the courts to intervene before it’s too late.”
“Temporary Protected Status” is granted to immigrants in the United States who are unable to return to their home countries because of natural disaster, civil war, or political instability.
Harold Solis, the legal co-director of Make the Road New York, said that the lawsuit is a critical first step in challenging policies that affect immigrants from countries around the world.
“The Trump administration’s decision to vacate and rescind Temporary Protective Status [sic] for Venezuela represents a major departure from our nation’s promise of equal protection,” Solis said. “At its core, the decision is racially motivated, as reflected by numerous statements from the president and his administration denigrating people from the country.”
“While today’s lawsuit focuses on Venezuelans and safeguarding their rights, make no mistake—this is much bigger than protecting immigrants from one country,” he said. “With this action, the administration is coming for Venezuelans, but they have made clear that they intend to deport, terrorize, and tear apart all immigrant families. We will not be complacent in the face of these threats.”
Sources
TPS Holders Sue Trump Administration To Protect Venezuelan U.S. Residents
Two lawsuits challenge Trump’s decision to end TPS for Venezuelans
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