Introduction
This article was flagged by readers due to rising concerns over the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to let the Trump administration proceed with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans — despite ongoing warnings from the State Department about extreme dangers in the country. Many users, like the one who submitted this fact-check request, asked how this policy can be justified given Venezuela’s calamity and U.S. travel warnings.
Historical Context
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) was established in 1990 to offer protection to foreign nationals from countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disaster, or other extraordinary conditions. Venezuela was designated for TPS in March 2021 under the Biden administration due to political repression, humanitarian collapse, and severe insecurity. Protections were extended as the situation failed to improve. However, with political tides shifting, the Trump administration renewed efforts to rescind these protections, citing its own legal and procedural rationale.
Fact-Check of Specific Claims
Claim #1: The Supreme Court has cleared the way for Trump to end TPS for Venezuelans
This statement is accurate. On May 20, 2025, the Supreme Court issued a brief, unsigned order allowing the Trump administration to move forward with plans to rescind TPS for Venezuelans. While the ruling itself was procedural and did not delve into the merits of TPS removal, it effectively lifted a legal block preventing enforcement of the order. The court’s decision allows the administration to define and implement the rollback, but the case continues in lower appeals courts.
Source: U.S. Supreme Court Docket
Claim #2: Over 300,000 Venezuelans in the U.S. will lose TPS protections starting in April, with 250,000 more losing them by September
This claim is mostly accurate. According to figures from the Department of Homeland Security and legal filings tied to the case, over 300,000 Venezuelans obtained TPS status after the 2023 redesignation. Another group — Venezuelans who arrived before 2023 but gained status later — includes approximately 250,000 individuals. The Biden administration’s 2023 extension protected both groups until mid-to-late 2025. With this ruling, those protections are now subject to termination unless overturned by future court decisions.
Source: DHS Announcement, 2023
Claim #3: The U.S. State Department warns Americans not to travel to Venezuela due to serious threats
True. As of 2025, the U.S. State Department maintains a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for Venezuela, citing “wrongful detentions, terrorism, kidnapping, arbitrary enforcement of local laws, and poor health infrastructure.” These conditions were also recognized by U.S. courts — including in a March 2025 ruling by Judge Edward Chen — as justification for maintaining TPS. Therefore, while the policy revocation may be legally permissible, it runs contrary to the State Department’s own assessment of dangers to human life and public safety in Venezuela.
Source: U.S. State Department Travel Advisory
Claim #4: The Biden administration had extended TPS for Venezuelans just two weeks before leaving office
Accurate. In January 2025, two weeks before President Biden left office, Homeland Security issued an 18-month extension of TPS for eligible Venezuelans due to continuing instability and humanitarian concerns. This extension applied specifically to the 2023 redesignation and covered those who had resided in the U.S. continuously since July 2023. However, the Trump administration, through Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, attempted to nullify the extension — triggering legal challenges that culminated in the Supreme Court decision.
Source: USCIS: TPS Venezuela Page
Conclusion
The article accurately conveys the legal and human consequences of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to allow the Trump administration to proceed with canceling TPS for Venezuelans. However, it misses key context regarding ongoing safety issues inside Venezuela itself. The article does not highlight that while the change may be legally valid, it contradicts the government’s own warnings about Venezuela’s danger to human life. There is no evidence contradicting the facts presented, but deeper examination reveals policy contradictions and a humanitarian dilemma that the article only partially explores.
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Link to the Original Article
Read the full article on CNN.com
