“It’s Terrible”: Supreme Court Ruling Sparks Fear Among Venezuelans with TPS in the U.S.

• TPS Cancellation: Court Removes Protection
• Venezuelans Fear Deportation
• Ruling Causes Anxiety and Uncertainty

A 10-year-old girl keeps asking the same question from her room in New York: “Mommy, what do I do if immigration comes?”

Her fear mirrors that of thousands of Venezuelan families now facing a new threat in the US following the Supreme Court’s decision on Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

For two years, over 350,000 Venezuelans have lived and worked legally in the US thanks to this program.

But the Court’s recent ruling has thrown the community into legal limbo, facing possible deportation and the end of stability.

Venezuelans Face the End of TPS

The girl’s mother, interviewed by Telemundo, described the emotional toll as “a terrible depression, total anxiety.”

“It’s terrible,” she repeated through tears, upon hearing that the protection granted by the Biden administration in 2023 could now disappear.

Though no firm end date has been set, the ruling allows Donald Trump’s administration to move forward with its plan to terminate TPS.

This uncertainty has left many families feeling betrayed, especially those who supported Trump thinking he’d only target criminals—not legal residents.

“The only one with 34 criminal charges is sitting in the Oval Office,” said Cecilia González Herrera to CNN, reflecting the anger of those who now feel politically exploited.

Cecilia arrived in Central Florida in 2017 with her family, fleeing political persecution in Caracas.

Her parents sold everything to start over and applied for asylum—but eight years later, they are still waiting for an interview.

TPS became their lifeline, allowing them to work, study, and avoid deportation.

With that status, Cecilia was able to afford college without international student fees—otherwise, it would have been impossible.

She now works for a civil rights group, defends voting rights, and worries about surviving if forced to return to Caracas.

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“I wouldn’t even know how to pump gas, find an address, or get a job there,” she said, acknowledging that her entire adult life has been built in the US.

Cecilia is now part of a class-action lawsuit, led by TPS Alliance, against the termination of this humanitarian measure.

Fear Extends Beyond Immediate TPS Group

Although the ruling mainly affects applicants under the 2023 designation, the anxiety has spread across the Venezuelan community.

“They treat us like criminals,” said another Venezuelan woman in Florida. “But in Venezuela, there’s no democracy or rule of law.”

From the American Venezuelan Caucus to communities like “Doralzuela” in Miami, a deep sense of betrayal is growing.

“They thought Trump’s immigration policies only targeted undocumented people,” said Adelys Ferro, executive director of the organization.

But the Supreme Court has already authorized TPS cancellation, even if legal appeals are ongoing.

Despite everything, Cecilia remains hopeful.

“I’m convinced that if this country is as great and good as my parents believe it is, justice will prevail.”

For thousands of Venezuelan families like Cecilia’s, TPS was more than a permit—it was a tool to rebuild their lives free from fear and repression.

Today, those same families watch that protection vanish, facing new uncertainty—not in their home country, but in the place they once thought would be their refuge.

Do you know someone affected by changes to TPS? Share your story in the comments.

SOURCE: CNN / Telemundo / NBC News