Local Venezuelans, Haitians celebrate court ruling leaving temporary protected status in place for them – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports
DORAL, FLA. (WSVN) – Some South Florida communities are celebrating a move that impacts hundreds in the region: a federal judge putting on hold a plan by the Trump administration to strip immigration protection for Venezuelans and Haitians.
U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco blocked the administration from ending temporary protected status, which was set to expire next week.
Chen said that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem exceeded her authority by terminating TPS for Venezuelans after that status had been extended three times by the previous administration.
Venezuelans in Doral celebrated Chen’s decision at El Arepazo restaurant on Friday evening.
“I’m really grateful for Judge Chen for this opportunity that he gave me to continue in this country fighting for my dreams,” said TPS beneficiary Rubmir Rojas.
Rojas, along with many other Venezuelans, have rallied around this specific issue for months as it ping-pongs through the legal system. But on Friday, she’s breathing a sigh of relief.
“This year has been really difficult for me, because I have put in too much time, effort and even money to reach my goals,” she said.
Rojas, an international medical graduate from Venezuela, came to the U.S. through humanitarian parole in 2023. She is now trying to revalidate her medical license in the U.S.
“Right now I have taken my step one, step two and English tests, and I’m waiting for my certification to become a doctor here. It’s difficult to move to a new country and start from the beginning,” she said.
Another group celebrating on Friday: Haitians.
The Family Action Network Movement, who works with South Florida’s Haitian population, said the ruling affirms the right of Haitians with TPS to be protected.
“Five hundred thousand Haitians had TPS as of the last designation, on account of the conditions in Haiti, particularly when we think about the gang violence, the widespread hunger, the recovery from devastating natural disasters,” said FANM Lead Organizer Paul Namphy. “It would be cruel to send them back to their country of origin forcefully.”
Both Haitians and Venezuelans say they came to the United States for the same thing: freedom and democracy.
“We came here looking for democracy, freedom, for liberty,” said Adelys Ferro with the Venezuelan-American Caucus. “We don’t have a country to go back to. No matter what the Trump administration says, Venezuela is every day getting worse. The dictatorship is getting more cruel.”
“We are hard workers, so I believe we deserve the opportunity to continue growing in this country, helping people, doing what we love most,” said Rojas.
The Venezuelan-American Caucus does expect the Trump administration to appeal, but they said they will keep fighting.
As of late Friday night, the Department of Homeland Security has not commented on the ruling.
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