A new legal battle has been launched against the Trump administration.
On Monday, March 3, 2025, several immigrant rights advocacy groups filed a federal lawsuit challenging the revocation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) granted to Haitians and Venezuelans living in the United States.
This decision, announced by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on February 20, could lead to the deportation of more than one million people, who may also lose their work permits.
According to the plaintiffs, this measure is not only illegal but also discriminatory and unconstitutional, as it violates the equal protection clause of the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
The Boston Federal Court is the first to hear this case. Among the organizations involved in this legal battle are the National TPS Alliance and the Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts, which argue that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) does not have the authority to cancel an already granted extension.
This revocation specifically nullifies the TPS extension granted by the Biden administration in 2024, which ensured Haitians’ protection until February 2026. Now, TPS for Haiti will expire in August 2025, putting approximately 521,000 beneficiaries at risk.
Venezuelans are also affected by this decision. In early February, the Department of Homeland Security announced a drastic reduction in the duration of their protection. TPS for Venezuela, initially set to last until October 2026, will now end on April 2, 2025, more than 18 months earlier than planned.
The Biden administration originally granted TPS to Venezuelans due to the country’s extreme instability under President Nicolás Maduro, marked by a severe economic crisis and rising insecurity.
With this revocation, immigrant rights groups denounce a harsh policy that endangers hundreds of thousands of families, exposing them to deep uncertainty and hardship.
Since TPS was granted to Haitians and Venezuelans, conditions in both countries have remained dire.
In Haiti, armed gangs continue to rule with impunity. Security operations led by the Haitian National Police (PNH) and the multinational security force have yet to yield significant results. Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes due to the country’s worsening insecurity.
On Monday, heavily armed individuals attempted to set fire to the headquarters of the National Office of Old-Age Insurance (ONA)—the equivalent of the Social Security Administration in the United States.
The outcome of this legal battle could have major implications for the future of TPS beneficiaries in the United States.