Culver City Migrant Won't be Stripped of Protected Status: Judge Rules

LOS ANGELES, CA — A federal court Monday blocked the Trump administration's attempt to strip a Culver City woman and other Venezuelan migrants of lawful immigration status by next week.

U.S. District Judge Ed Chen's ruling in the Northern District of California protects almost 350,000 Venezuelan holders of Temporary Protected Status who were set to lose work authorization on Thursday, and deportation protections on April 7. As a result, they will instead retain their humanitarian protections while the case proceeds.

In the lawsuit filed in February in San Francisco, the National TPS Alliance and seven Venezuelans accuse Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem of illegally revoking an 18- month extension of TPS for Venezuelans that was granted by the Biden administration.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson did not immediately reply to a request for comment from City News Service.

In his 78-page ruling, Chen ruled that Noem's revocation threatens to inflict irreparable harm on hundreds of thousands of persons "whose lives, families, and livelihoods will be severely disrupted, cost the United States billions in economic activity, and injure public health and safety in communities throughout the United States. At the same time, the government has failed to identify any real countervailing harm in continuing TPS for Venezuelan beneficiaries."

The judge also sided with plaintiffs in finding that "they will likely succeed in demonstrating that the actions taken by the Secretary are unauthorized by law, arbitrary and capricious, and motivated by unconstitutional animus."

Jose Palma, coordinator of the National TPS Alliance, applauded Chen's ruling.

"In the face of adversity, we stand united," he said in a statement. "Today's victory is not just a legal win, but a testament to the strength of the TPS community and all who fight alongside us. We will continue this fight with unwavering resolve, not only to protect the future of 350,000 Venezuelans, but to defend all TPS holders in this country. Together, we will ensure that the voices of those who seek safety and opportunity are heard, and that no one is unjustly torn from their families."

The named plaintiffs include Hendrina Vivas Castillo, 49, who lives in Culver City and works as a food delivery driver. She said in February that she is "terrified" of going back to Venezuela and does not know what she will do if her TPS is terminated, according to the lawsuit.

City News Service