Following a decision by the United States Supreme Court allowing the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Venezuelans, concern has quickly spread among affected communities. However, according to immigration attorney Willy Allen, who spoke to CBS News, most TPS recipients are not at immediate risk of deportation. “There’s no need to panic,” Allen stated in the interview.
According to Allen, very few Venezuelans lack another form of legal status. “The vast majority of Venezuelans who arrived between March 2021 and August 2023 have already filed for asylum.” He noted that individuals with both a pending asylum application and TPS are not immediately at risk.
The attorney, who specializes in immigration law, believes that asylum currently offers the strongest legal protection for TPS recipients.
Those with TPS who have already filed for asylum still have legal avenues available, even after the Supreme Court’s decision allowing the Trump administration to terminate TPS. “You still have an asylum interview or a court hearing scheduled. These procedures must continue regardless of the end of TPS,” explained Allen, who practices immigration law in Florida.
Still, Allen acknowledged that a minority of Venezuelans may now be vulnerable.
“The only ones who should really be concerned are those with a final order of removal,” he warned.
These are individuals who lost their asylum cases and had been protected under TPS until now. “Now that TPS is ending, they have no remaining protection,” he said, though he estimated that this group represents “a very small number.”
Regarding next steps, Allen urged prompt action: “They need to reengage with their asylum case.” He also recommended renewing their work permits under the asylum process and “preparing for a future hearing or interview.”
Despite the climate of uncertainty, the central message remains clear: the majority of Venezuelans under TPS still benefit from active legal protections through asylum. For those in more precarious situations, legal experts emphasize the importance of seeking immediate professional advice to avoid irreversible consequences.
Attorney Allen’s recommendations also apply to Haitian TPS holders.
The Trump administration has already indicated its intention to end TPS for Haitians. In fact, it has already shortened the program’s duration by six months. That decision is currently under judicial review, with a federal judge scheduled to hear the case in July. This is the same judge who previously ruled in favor of Venezuelans before the Supreme Court overturned his decision.
With the addition of new beneficiaries under the Biden program, over 500,000 Haitians currently hold TPS. Should this protection be revoked, many of them could be forced to return to a country facing deep political instability and rampant insecurity.
