Judge Blocks Trump-Era Move to Revoke Work Permits for 5,000 Venezuelans

A U.S. federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from invalidating work permits and legal documents for roughly 5,000 Venezuelans, despite a broader Supreme Court ruling that allowed the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nearly 350,000.

U.S. District Judge Edward Chen ruled that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem likely overstepped her authority when she attempted to revoke documents in February tied to TPS, a program protecting immigrants from countries facing natural disasters, conflict, or crises. These specific permits were issued during President Joe Biden’s final days in office when the TPS designation for Venezuelans was extended through October 2026.

While the U.S. Supreme Court lifted Chen’s earlier injunction blocking TPS termination, it left room for legal challenges to Noem’s revocation of work and residency documents. Chen sided with Venezuelan plaintiffs and the National TPS Alliance, stressing that the TPS statute does not give the administration authority to retroactively cancel documents already issued.

Chen, appointed by President Obama, emphasized that only about 5,000 Venezuelans were affected, undermining any argument that their presence harms the economy or national security. “This smaller number cuts against any contention that the continued presence of these TPS holders would be a toll,” he wrote.

The Department of Homeland Security criticized the ruling, calling it a delay to justice and an infringement on presidential authority. The decision came just hours after the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to end immigration "parole" protections for over 500,000 migrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti, and Nicaragua under a separate Biden-era policy.

The ruling marks a key development in ongoing legal battles over immigration policy and the future of TPS protections for vulnerable populations.