In the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on May 19, Venezuelan immigrants in Minnesota are grappling with heightened anxiety over their legal status in the United States.
The Supreme Court’s decision favored the Trump administration’s move to strip away Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for around 350,000 individuals nationwide, a significant pivot from the previous federal judge’s ruling which aimed to pause the end of TPS protections instituted under the Biden administration.
Ahilan Arulanantham, an attorney representing the plaintiffs in a federal case and co-director of the Center for Immigration Law and Policy at UCLA, characterized this Supreme Court ruling as a pivotal action that effectively removes the immigration status of a specific group — a historic change in American immigration policy.
The impact of this ruling is palpable in Minnesota, where a recent gathering of a Venezuelan softball league in Fridley revealed deep-seated fears among participants, many of whom are concerned about potentially losing their legal status.
Manuel Soriano, who migrated from Venezuela to Minnesota three and a half years ago with his family, shared his fears. Settling in Osseo, the Soriano family had TPS and has applied for asylum, but the uncertainty of their legal process is daunting given the situation in Venezuela.
“Right now, we are all afraid,” Soriano admitted, as families in attendance shared similar sentiments.
Despite these anxieties, the Sorianos cherish their life in Minnesota. Their children are in high school, and the sense of community cultivated at these Saturday softball tournaments is invaluable to them.
The tournament atmosphere is vibrant and lively, with families cheering and a shared love for baseball, a cultural touchstone in Venezuela. Vendors serve up traditional Venezuelan street food, evoking a sense of home for many immigrants.
Another participant, Zonia Celis, fled Venezuela in April 2022 and has faced similar challenges. She also held TPS status prior to the Supreme Court ruling and is currently navigating an asylum application. Running a food stand at the tournaments, Celis offers a taste of Venezuela, serving sandwiches made with patacones.
However, the change in immigration status is causing significant distress. With many family members now in Minnesota, Celis expressed concern about their uncertain futures, underscoring that returning to Venezuela is not a safe option.
“We can’t leave, we can’t stay. It’s not easy,” Celis lamented, reflecting the deep uncertainty that many Venezuelans now face.
Andrew Deziel, co-founder of Casa de Venezuela Minnesota, took the opportunity at the softball tournament to rally support, urging attendees to sign a petition for Congress to protect Venezuelans. Potential avenues for relief lie in proposed legislation like the Venezuelan Adjustment Act, which could pave the way for many Venezuelans to obtain legal permanent residency.
The backdrop of this crisis is the rapid deterioration of conditions in Venezuela over the past decade. With rampant poverty, crime, and political oppression driving millions to flee, the United States has imposed stringent sanctions against the Venezuelan government, which it views as illegitimate under President Nicolas Maduro.
Current estimates suggest that 3,000 Venezuelans reside in Minnesota, according to 2023 U.S. Census Bureau data, indicating a substantial community that is now in a state of distress following the Supreme Court decision.
In Minnesota, the majority of Venezuelans operating under TPS are now faced with the loss of their protections. The National TPS Alliance noted that approximately 250,000 still hold TPS from 2021, though there is widespread fear that they could lose their status under the latest ruling.
Activists and community leaders, including Deziel, are lamenting the situation as devastating, especially given ongoing discussions with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle regarding possible legislative solutions.
Rev. Melissa Gonzalez, a Lutheran minister at a bilingual congregation with many Venezuelan parishioners, has been working with families navigating the complex U.S. immigration system. Alongside others, she has helped assist Venezuelans in applying for humanitarian parole, though they now face new barriers after learning the program is no longer available.
Families are feeling the strain of separation due to immigration decisions, worsening the sense of instability within the community.
As the U.S. immigration system navigates these turbulent waters, asylum becomes one of the few available legal avenues for many Venezuelans to remain in the country. Yet with immigration courts heavily backlogged, individuals applying for asylum may not see a court hearing until as late as 2027.
Alfonso Rojas, who entered the U.S. as a teen in February 2023, is one such individual. He turned himself in at the border, receiving parole but was soon informed his TPS application was no longer valid. He was advised to apply for asylum instead. His next hearing is set for February 2026, with expectations that he must submit his asylum application before that date.
As he navigates through this complex legal process, Rojas expressed his hope to stay in Minnesota, where opportunities abound and he doesn’t live in fear as he did back home. Working as a day laborer, he sends financial support back to his family in Venezuela, striving to improve their situation from afar.
With the uncertainty surrounding TPS and other immigration programs, Rojas highlighted the confusing nature of the ongoing changes in U.S. immigration policy.
“It’s confusing,” he concluded.
As the Venezuelan community in Minnesota grapples with the implications of the Supreme Court ruling, the focus is now on advocacy and potential legislative solutions that could bring much-needed relief.’
image source from：https://sahanjournal.com/immigration/tps-ends-venezuela-trump/
