Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) say they are now living in fear following a U.S. Supreme Court decision that allows the Trump administration to resume deportations while a lower court reviews the case.
Many of those affected live in South Florida, including Maximiliano Hernández, who came to the U.S. in 2021 and filed for TPS soon after arriving. His wife applied in 2023. Together, they are raising their five-month-old son, born in Miami.
“The situation of immigrants with TPS right now is complicated,” Hernández said. “We are not prepared to be deported. I am a law-abiding citizen who pays taxes and wants to raise my child in a peaceful country.”
The ruling clears the way for federal authorities to remove TPS protections from an estimated 605,000 Venezuelans currently living in the country.
Advocates warn of deportations as legal battle continues
Adelys Ferro, director of the Venezuelan American Caucus, said the ruling “changed everything.” Her organization helped file a motion to prevent mass deportations after a California judge ordered officials to restore TPS protections through Oct. 26.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appealed that order, and the Supreme Court granted the administration permission to lift protections while the case proceeds in the appellate court.
“They just asked the Supreme Court to allow them to keep TPS eliminated while the Court of Appeals makes a decision,” Ferro explained. “Now people like Maximiliano and his family could end up deported.”
Immigration attorneys warn that once the 60-day grace period ends on Nov. 9, Venezuelans who lose TPS protection could face detention and deportation.
“I can certainly tell them to talk to a lawyer—a real immigration lawyer,” Ferro said. “After 60 days, if they get pulled over and detained, they can be placed in a detention center and sent back to Venezuela. That’s the harsh reality.”
Lawmakers urge reconsideration amid political and humanitarian concerns
Republican Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar, who represents parts of Miami-Dade County, has urged President Donald Trump to reconsider deporting Venezuelans with TPS, citing political instability in Venezuela and the potential impact on families who have built lives in the U.S.
Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans was officially rescinded in September, starting the countdown toward potential deportations. For families like Hernández’s, the uncertainty grows by the day.
“I just want to stay here,” Hernández said. “This is my home now.”
