Wasserman Schultz Condemns Supreme Court Order that Empowers Trump to Return Venezuelans to Murderous Dictator

Washington, May 19, 2025
"Venezuelan TPS holders fled the Maduro regime and built lives in America. They sought refuge in America from his oppression and tyranny. This atrocious decision allows Trump to deport non-criminals back to this murderous dictator. This fight is not over. We must pass my Venezuela TPS Act to keep our community safe."

Washington D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), co-chair of the Venezuela Democracy Caucus, denounced a U.S. Supreme Court order that would allow the Trump Administration to return hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans right back into the hands of a murderous dictator that they had sought refuge from in coming to America.

“Venezuelan TPS holders fled the Maduro regime and built lives in America. They sought refuge in America from his oppression and tyranny. This atrocious decision allows Trump to deport non-criminals back to this murderous dictator,” Wasserman Schultz said about the court order. “This fight is not over. We must pass my Venezuela TPS Act to keep our community safe.”

Wasserman Schultz had led 48 Democratic Members of Congress this month in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in this case, opposing Trump’s attempt to cancel TPS. Lower courts had agreed to temporarily block Trump’s attempt to rescind those TPS protections. But earlier today, the Supreme Court released an unsigned court order that basically allows the Trump Administration to lift those TPS restrictions and begin the mass deportations of Venezuelans who had lawful status just hours ago.

The Trump Administration seeks to deport as many as 350,000 Venezuelans, despite President Joe Biden redesignating Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, to them last year. Despite being characterized as “criminal illegals” and “dirtbags” by senior Trump Administration officials, TPS recipients must pass continuous background checks and anyone with a criminal record is not eligible for protections.

Wasserman Schultz has also sponsored bipartisan legislation to restore and redesignate TPS for Venezuelans, led calls to Secretary Noem and Secretary Rubio to demand answers on their TPS betrayal, given worsening political repression and economic conditions in in Venezuela. And the Congresswoman from Weston, Florida, also re-introduced the Venezuelan Adjustment Act to create a pathway to lawful permanent residence for Venezuelan nationals in the United States.

####