A United States federal judge in California has temporarily halted President Donald Trump’s plan to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 350,000 Venezuelan migrants living in the country. The TPS program provides these individuals with the legal right to live and work in the U.S. and had been scheduled to end next week under a directive issued by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

The ruling came from Judge Edward Chen, who sided with a group of Venezuelan TPS holders that filed a lawsuit challenging the administration’s decision. In his opinion, Chen described the government’s attempt to terminate the protections as “unprecedented,” emphasizing the humanitarian implications of removing legal protections from such a large group of people.

While the judge’s decision prevents the immediate deportation of TPS beneficiaries, the legal case remains ongoing. The court has yet to determine whether the administration had the proper legal authority to terminate the program as planned. The upcoming proceedings will examine both the statutory framework governing TPS and the procedural justification for the administration’s actions.

President Trump’s administration has taken a hard stance on immigration and has moved to restrict or terminate several humanitarian protections for various migrant communities. The attempted cancellation of TPS for Venezuelans was part of a broader effort to reshape immigration policy by reducing temporary residency programs.

Homeland Security Secretary Noem had previously argued that conditions in Venezuela no longer warranted special status, a claim strongly opposed by advocacy groups and affected individuals who cited ongoing political and economic instability in the country.

The ruling is seen as a temporary victory for TPS recipients and their supporters, who argue that deporting Venezuelans at this time would expose them to serious harm and uncertainty. Immigration rights organizations praised the judge’s intervention and vowed to continue fighting for permanent protections.

As the case moves forward, all eyes will be on the court’s final ruling, which could have far-reaching implications not only for Venezuelan migrants but for the future of the TPS program as a whole.