The Trump administration’s decision to end temporary protections against deportation for thousands of Haitian and Venezuelan migrants living in the US is being challenged in a lawsuit filed on Monday. The lawsuit, which was filed in Boston federal court, claims that the administration exceeded its authority under the law governing Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and discriminated against the two groups based on their race.
Under the TPS program, 521,000 Haitians and approximately 600,000 Venezuelans have been granted work permits and protection from deportation. The Trump administration’s decision to speed up the expiration of these protections will leave about 348,000 Venezuelans facing deportation by April, while the rest could lose their legal status in September.
The lawsuit was filed by a coalition of advocacy groups and individual migrants in Boston, arguing that the administration’s actions were driven by racial bias. The plaintiffs claim that Trump has made dehumanizing statements about Haitian and Venezuelan immigrants and that the DHS’ decision is motivated by “pre-ordained conclusions” rather than legitimate criteria.
The case, Haitian-Americans United v. Noem, will be heard in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The plaintiffs are represented by Lawyers for Civil Rights, along with other advocacy groups.
Source: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/lawsuit-challenges-trumps-end-haitian-venezuelan-deportation-protections-2025-03-03