Latest news with #U.SSupremeCourt
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
'They're targeting immigrants.' U.S. Supreme Court allows Trump to strip temporary legal statuses???
The U.S Supreme Court sides with President Trump allowing protections for immigrants put in by the Biden Administration to end. This means even more people could face deportation including the thousands of Floridians here under Temporary Protected Status known as TPS. The Biden Administration granted immigrants from Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba, and Nicaragua legal status, called humanitarian parole, for two years so they could escape instability in their countries. The Supreme Court ruled that the Trump Administration can do away with that program. William Diaz with Casa de Venezuela says immigrants work in four big industries in the U.S. Medical, hospitality, construction, and agriculture. He says those industries will be affected. This means even more people could face deportation, including the thousands of Floridians here under Temporary Protected Status, known as TPS. Diaz explains what the protections meant and what stripping them will mean. 'The humanitarian parole allowed those relatives dad, mom, kids, to come to see relatives in the United States. That's the importance of this program,' said Diaz. It's not clear when these deportations would start. 'Imagine people from Ukraine to go back to Ukraine when you have a dictator in Russia bombing Ukraine, where people can go to Venezuela where you have a regime taking and putting people in jail, like they did last week,' said Diaz. On Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Casa de Venezuela and other organizations will hold a rally at First Baptist Orlando. Immigration attorneys and other resources will help immigrants determine their next steps. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Supreme Court ruling on TPS stuns South Florida, leaves Venezuelan families in fear
A U.S Supreme Court ruling that allows the Trump administration to strip deportation protections and work permits from hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans — including many in South Florida, home to an estimated 175,000 people from the South American country — sent shock waves throughout the greater Miami region and across the Sunshine State on Monday. 'That the U.S. would terminate the protections for Venezuelans now, when nothing has improved back home, is just unbelievable,' said Betsy Diaz, a Venezuelan-American in Hialeah whose two daughters, five grandchildren and several other relatives will lose the protections. In a two-paragraph order, the nation's highest court on Monday granted an emergency request from the White House to roll back a lower court judge's order that kept in place Temporary Protected Status for about 350,000 Venezuelans. READ MORE: Justice Jackson, who grew up in Miami, opposed allowing Trump to deport Venezuelans with TPS Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans could now be at risk being sent back to a homeland deep in the throes of political repression and economic collapse. Many TPS holders came to the U.S. to flee life-threatening dangers in Venezuela, including government persecution. The impact in Florida will be particularly acute: Of all 350,000 TPS holders living in the state, the Congressional Research Service estimates that about 225,000 are Venezuelan. 'This administration and their cruel choices disregard any basic humanity we are seeking for,' said Cecilia González Herrera, a Venezuelan TPS holder from Kissimmee and one of the individual plaintiffs in the case. 'Returning to Venezuela is not safe at all.' The Orlando area is home to an estimated 66,000 Venezuelans. For the loved ones of TPS beneficiaries, the Supreme Court decision ignites fear of family separations and the loss of livelihoods. When it moved to revoke the TPS protections in February, the Department of Homeland Security said Venezuela had seen 'notable' improvements in economy, public health and crime. But Diaz, the Hialeah grandmother, pointed to a recent State Department travel advisory that warned Americans to not travel there because of the high risk of wrongful detention, torture, terrorism and kidnapping, as well as crime, civil unrest, and the country's poor health infrastructure. 'And yet they're eliminating TPS for Venezuelans?' she asked. 'It doesn't make any sense.' Marisol Silva, 64, and her husband came to Doral in 2021 to reunite with their daughter, a journalist. She had fled Venezuela years before them because the country's government had persecuted her because of her work. She feared facing the same fate as several of her colleagues, imprisoned for reporting on the country's humanitarian crisis. Silva and her husband will keep their work permits through a pending immigration process, but she's deeply worried about losing deportation protections through TPS. Still, she holds out hope that there will be other pathways to stay. 'I still believe there will be other legal avenues for our community,' said Silva. Another group of 300,000 Venezuelans have protections under a separate 2021 designation that is set to run out in September. The Trump administration has not yet officially eliminated the protections, but will almost certainly move to do so in the coming year. Other Venezuelan community leaders in South Florida also expressed dismay following Monday's ruling. Even if the courts ultimately uphold TPS for Venezuela, it won't make much of a difference for those who are deported while litigation is pending because the high court lifted the lower court judge's order. Adelys Ferro, a Miami-based immigration activist whose organization, the Venezuelan American Caucus, is part of the lawsuit, told reporters on Monday it was a very difficult day for the Venezuelan community. 'The fight is not over. The fight does not stop. The fight is barely starting,' said Ferro. 'This is everyone's home. Especially those who cannot return to Venezuela under any concept.' José Antonio Colina, founder of VEPPEX, a nonprofit of politically persecuted Venezuelans who now live in exile, told the Miami Herald the decision is 'totally disastrous' and 'a tragedy.' He said hundreds of thousands of people would now be at risk of being sent to a country run by a government that routinely violates human rights and tortures its citizens. 'Sending those people with TPS back to Venezuela is condemning them to death,' said Colina. He also said that Venezuelans with TPS should consult immigration attorneys to explore ways they may have to stay in the U.S. legally. However, Colina said he worries about Venezuelans who felt secure in the U.S. and spoke out against the Nicolas Maduro regime. 'No one can ensure their safety,' he said. Colina and other activists said the Venezuelan government could target deportees for their social media postings under a recently approved law that establishes penalties such as up to 30 years in prison and disqualification from holding public office for those who support sanctions on the country imposed by other nations. 'Nothing good awaits them,' said Helene Villalonga, president of a Doral-based human rights group, adding that returned Venezuelans would face 'fierce persecution.' From Doral, home to the largest concentration of Venezuelans in the U.S., where more than 40% of residents are Venezuelan and a third are U.S. citizens who influence local elections, only lukewarm statements have emerged from city officials in response to the Supreme Court's decision. Rafael Pineyro, the only Venezuelan American council member in Doral, said in a statement he received the news of the Supreme Court's decision 'with a somber heart.' 'I deeply empathize with the immense stress, fear, and uncertainty this ruling brings to many in our community,' Pineyro said. 'Venezuela remains in a state of political and economic collapse. Every day, innocent people are unjustly imprisoned, tortured, and silenced for daring to stand up to a regime that continues to violate basic human rights.' Read more: A delicate balance: Why Doral GOP pols fight for Venezuelans, but avoid clash with Trump Maureen Porras, the vice mayor of Doral, said the decision would 'likely lead to more confusion' as the case continues through the courts. 'The final decision on termination is still being litigated. Venezuelans are living in limbo, enduring uncertainty and a back and forth from the different courts. I think it's important to provide stability and keep the status quo until a final decision is made,' said Porras. Doral's mayor Christi Fraga called for 'calm and reassurance.' The recent response from Doral city officials to the Supreme Court decision stands in sharp contrast to their own statements made just two months earlier. In March, the same three officials warned that ending TPS would lead to an economic collapse for the city. Read more: Venezuelans fight back against TPS termination, battling for right to stay in the U.S. Venezuelans are a significant demographic in Florida. Over 44% of all residents of Venezuelan origin in the United States live in the state — many of them in South Florida. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, home to the largest Venezuelan community in the U.S., said she was 'heartbroken' for the families who followed the legal process and now face deportation to a brutal dictatorship. 'We continue to stand with those seeking protection from oppression and persecution,' Levine Cava said in a statement in X. Read more: 'It's painful.' Venezuelans torn over Trump as his deportation agenda disrupts lives Federal lawmakers from South Florida also came out in support of TPS for Venezuela on Monday. U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Trump supporter from Miami who has positioned herself as a champion for Venezuelans and others fleeing Latin American dictatorships, said in a statement she was 'deeply disappointed' with the high court's decision. She also said she would ask Trump to grant another form of deportation protection, known as Deferred Enforcement Departure, or DED. She is also requesting the protections for over half-a-million beneficiaries from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Haitia of a Biden-era parole program the Trump administration has also moved to end. Trump had previously granted deferred enforcement departure to some Venezuelans during his last term. At the time, he said that the Maduro government was 'responsible for the worst humanitarian crisis in the Western Hemisphere in recent memory.' U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat from Weston, home to many Venezuelans, condemned the Supreme Court ruling. Along with Salazar and others, she has co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to restore and redesignate Venezuela's Temporary Protected Status. 'Venezuelan TPS holders fled the Maduro regime and built lives in America. They sought refuge in America from his oppression and tyranny,' said Wasserman. 'This atrocious decision allows Trump to deport non-criminals back to this murderous dictator.'
Miami Herald
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Supreme Court ruling on TPS stuns South Florida, leaves Venezuelan families in fear
A U.S Supreme Court ruling that allows the Trump administration to strip deportation protections and work permits from hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans — including many Miami area residents — sent shock waves through South Florida and across the Sunshine State on Monday. 'That the U.S. would terminate the protections for Venezuelans now, when nothing has improved back home, is just unbelievable,' said Betsy Diaz, a Venezuelan-American in Hialeah whose two daughters, five grandchildren and several other relatives will lose the protections. In a two-paragraph order, the nation's highest court on Monday granted an emergency request from the White House to roll back a lower court judge's order that kept in place Temporary Protected Status for about 350,000 Venezuelans. It was part of an ongoing lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco challenging the Trump administration's February decision to revoke the protections granted to Venezuelans and other nationals from certain countries in turmoil. The court provided no explanation for why it had lifted the lower court judge's order, which prevented the Trump administration from removing the protections while the litigation is ongoing. The court did not address the merits of the lawsuit, which continues in the lower federal court and could ultimately keep TPS in place for the thousands of Venezuelans who were protected under a 2023 designation. READ MORE: Supreme Court allows Trump to revoke protected immigration status for thousands of Venezuelans The Trump administration has made it abundantly clear that the lower court judge's order was the only thing in its way from ending TPS immediately for Venezuelans under the 2023 TPS designation, whose protections were set to expire in April. Following the Supreme Court ruling, hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans could now be at risk being sent back to a homeland deep in the throes of political repression and economic collapse. Many TPS holders came to the U.S. to flee life-threatening dangers in Venezuela, including government persecution. 'This administration and their cruel choices disregard any basic humanity we are seeking for,' said Cecilia González Herrera, a Venezuelan TPS holder from Kissimmee and one of the individual plaintiffs in the San Franciso case. 'Returning to Venezuela is not safe at all.' For the loved ones of TPS beneficiaries, the Supreme Court decision ignites fear of family separations and the loss of livelihoods. When it moved to revoke the TPS protections in February, the Department of Homeland Security said Venezuela had seen 'notable' improvements in economy, public health and crime. But Diaz, the Hialeah grandmother, pointed to a recent State Department travel advisory that warned Americans to not travel there because of the high risk of wrongful detention, torture, terrorism and kidnapping, as well as crime, civil unrest, and the country's poor health infrastructure. 'And yet they're eliminating TPS for Venezuelans?' she asked. 'It doesn't make any sense.' Marisol Silva, 64, and her husband came to Doral in 2021 to reunite with their daughter, a journalist. She had fled Venezuela years before them because the country's government had persecuted her because of her work. She feared facing the same fate as several of her colleagues, imprisoned for reporting on the country's humanitarian crisis. Silva and her husband will keep their work permits through a pending immigration process, but she's deeply worried about losing deportation protections through TPS. Still, she holds out hope that there will be other pathways to stay. 'I still believe there will be other legal avenues for our community,' said Silva. Another group of 300,000 Venezuelans have protections under a separate 2021 designation that is set to run out in September. The Trump administration has not yet officially eliminated the protections, but will almost certainly move to do so in the coming year. Activists: Ruling is a death sentence Other Venezuelan community leaders in South Florida also expressed dismay following Monday's ruling. Even if the courts ultimately uphold TPS for Venezuela, it won't make much of a difference for those who are deported while litigation is pending because the high court lifted the lower court judge's order. Adelys Ferro, a Miami-based immigration activist whose organization, the Venezuelan American Caucus, is part of the San Francisco lawsuit, told reporters on Monday it was a very difficult day for the Venezuelan community. 'The fight is not over. The fight does not stop. The fight is barely starting,' said Ferro. 'This is everyone's home. Especially those who cannot return to Venezuela under any concept.' José Antonio Colina, founder of VEPPEX, a nonprofit of politically persecuted Venezuelans who now live in exile, told the Miami Herald the decision is 'totally disastrous' and 'a tragedy.' He said hundreds of thousands of people would now be at risk of being sent to a country run by a government that routinely violates human rights and tortures its citizens. 'Sending those people with TPS back to Venezuela is condemning them to death,' said Colina. He also said that Venezuelans with TPS should consult immigration attorneys to explore ways they may have to stay in the U.S. legally. However, Colina said he worries about Venezuelans who felt secure in the U.S. and spoke out against the Nicolas Maduro regime. 'No one can ensure their safety,' he said. Colina and other activists said the Venezuelan government could target deportees for their social media postings under a recently approved law that establishes penalties such as up to 30 years in prison and disqualification from holding public office for those who support sanctions on the country imposed by other nations. 'Nothing good awaits them,' said Helene Villalonga, president of a Doral-based human rights group, adding that returned Venezuelans would face 'fierce persecution.' South Florida officials react From Doral, home to the largest concentration of Venezuelans in the U.S., where more than 40% of residents are Venezuelan and a third are U.S. citizens who influence local elections, only lukewarm statements have emerged from city officials in response to the Supreme Court's decision. Rafael Pinyero, the only Venezuelan American council member in Doral, said in a statement he received the news of the Supreme Court's decision 'with a somber heart.' 'I deeply empathize with the immense stress, fear, and uncertainty this ruling brings to many in our community,' Pinyero said. 'Venezuela remains in a state of political and economic collapse. Every day, innocent people are unjustly imprisoned, tortured, and silenced for daring to stand up to a regime that continues to violate basic human rights.' Read more: A delicate balance: Why Doral GOP pols fight for Venezuelans, but avoid clash with Trump Maureen Porras, the vice mayor of Doral, said the decision would 'likely lead to more confusion' as the case continues through the courts. 'The final decision on termination is still being litigated. Venezuelans are living in limbo, enduring uncertainty and a back and forth from the different courts. I think it's important to provide stability and keep the status quo until a final decision is made,' said Porras. Doral's mayor Christi Fraga called for 'calm and reassurance.' The recent response from Doral city officials to the Supreme Court decision stands in sharp contrast to their own statements made just two months earlier. In March, the same three officials warned that ending TPS would lead to an economic collapse for the city. Read more: Venezuelans fight back against TPS termination, battling for right to stay in the U.S. Venezuelans are a significant demographic in Florida. Over 44% of all residents of Venezuelan origin in the United States live in the state — many of them in South Florida. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, home to the largest Venezuelan community in the U.S., said she was 'heartbroken' for the families who followed the legal process and now face deportation to a brutal dictatorship. 'We continue to stand with those seeking protection from oppression and persecution,' Levine Cava said in a statement in X. Read more: 'It's painful.' Venezuelans torn over Trump as his deportation agenda disrupts lives Federal lawmakers from South Florida also came out in support of TPS for Venezuela on Monday. U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, a Trump supporter from Miami who has positioned herself as a champion for Venezuelans and others fleeing Latin American dictatorships, said in a statement she was 'deeply disappointed' with the high court's decision. She also said she would ask Trump to grant another form of deportation protection, known as Deferred Enforcement Departure, or DED. She is also requesting the protections for over half-a-million beneficiaries from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Haitia of a Biden-era parole program the Trump administration has also moved to end. Trump had previously granted deferred enforcement departure to some Venezuelans during his last term. At the time, he said that the Maduro government was 'responsible for the worst humanitarian crisis in the Western Hemisphere in recent memory.' U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, a Democrat from Weston, home to many Venezuelans, condemned the Supreme Court ruling. Along with Salazar and others, she has co-sponsored bipartisan legislation to restore and redesignate Venezuela's Temporary Protected Status. 'Venezuelan TPS holders fled the Maduro regime and built lives in America. They sought refuge in America from his oppression and tyranny,' said Wasserman. 'This atrocious decision allows Trump to deport non-criminals back to this murderous dictator.'
Indianapolis Star
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana spoofed by The Onion over fake pornography 'law.' Some people thought it was real
The Onion, a parody news site known for its satirical headlines, may have caused some Hoosiers to do a double-take Friday after posting the following article: "New Indiana law requires all porn viewers to register as sex offenders." No such law exists, of course. Not in Indiana or elsewhere. The story caught fire over the weekend, leading to thousands of reactions and hundreds of user comments across several social media platforms. Some people admitted they couldn't tell at first if the headline was real or not. Here's what we know about it. Story continues after photo gallery. In a spoof article about Indiana posted last week, writers at The Onion claimed the — and we can't stress this enough — fictitious law will "keep sexual content away from those not yet on the state's list of deviants." The Onion included fake quotes from real-life Republican State Sen. Liz Brown of Fort Wayne, who had a hand in authoring Senate Bill 17, a real law signed by then-Gov. Eric Holcomb last year requiring age verification checks on porn sites. Perhaps that's why The Onion credited Brown as the fake bill's fake co-sponsor, jokingly quoting her as saying Hoosiers who wanted to access adult content online would have to go on record as being "a depraved person in the eyes of the law." People on social media had a mix of reactions. It's not the first time Indiana has been lampooned by The Onion. In October 2024, days before the national presidential election in which Donald Trump won re-election, the parody site posted a story with the following headline: "New Indiana law requires women voters to show husband's ID." Last year, Indiana passed a bill into law mandating porn sites include age verification checks in a bid to prevent children from accessing adult content. Hoosier parents, as well as Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, can sue websites that fail to screen out minors. Several adult-content websites, including a California-based free-speech trade group, have sued Indiana over the law, arguing age-verification checks impinge on Hoosiers' constitutional rights. Among other concerns, the Indiana ACLU has warned the law could pose significant risks to online privacy and safety. Despite a temporary injunction imposed by a federal judge last year, Indiana's age verification law remains in effect while a similar law adopted by Texas awaits a pending decision by the U.S Supreme Court. Story continues after photo gallery. Meanwhile, free speech advocates warn a bill introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, could lead to a nationwide ban on pornography in the United States. The Interstate Obscenity Definition Act (IODA) proposed by Lee would scrap how the federal government currently interprets and defines obscene material and replace it with a more broader definition. Essentially, anything uploaded to the internet containing "nudity, sex, or excretion" that lacks "serious value," according to the bill, could be labeled obscene and therefore illegal. While the bill doesn't explicitly ban pornography outright, according to the Salt Lake Tribune, it makes it easier for prosecutors to lock up and sue anyone who creates, hosts and distributes it. 'Our bill updates the legal definition of obscenity for the internet age so this content can be taken down and its peddlers prosecuted,' Lee said in a prepared statement. In an article posted last week on Mashable, free speech advocates called the bill "a slippery slope," warning it could not only outlaw America's adult entertainment industry, but potentially have far-reaching impacts on what exactly pornography entails. "IODA would allow prosecutors to say, "'It no longer matters if it's offensive to the larger community…if it's offensive to us, we can bring a case,'" Mike Stabile told Mashable, who serves as director of public policy at adult industry trade organization, the Free Speech Coalition. OPINION: Republicans appeal to morality with bill to ban all porn. Will it turn off their base?
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
California's homeless crisis could be Gavin Newsom's political albatross
Gov. Gavin Newsom told California cities this week that there 'were no more excuses' for homeless encampments, a message he has repeated often over the years with little success. Visible signs of homelessness still line sidewalks and freeway underpasses from Sacramento to Los Angeles, an entrenched crisis rooted in a tight and unaffordable housing market that grew worse in January when more than 12,000 homes burned to the ground in Los Angeles County. Newsom, widely considered a Democratic contender for the 2028 presidential race, appears to be toughening his stance on issues likely to follow him on the campaign trail. His "no more excuses" message included the suggestion that municipalities ban camping on public property for more than three nights in a row, one of several perceived moves to the center the former San Francisco mayor has taken recently. On Wednesday, Newsom unveiled a revised budget that makes significant cuts to reproductive health services and walks back his signature policy to provide free healthcare for low-income undocumented immigrants. The rollbacks were meant to help balance California's budget and turn around the 'Trump slump,' Newsom told reporters, referring to economic fallout from the president's trade war. Asked if his apparent move to the center is related to a possible 2028 run, he said, 'I've been, always, a hardheaded pragmatist.' Yet the guidelines on homelessness that he announced this week do not carry enforcement power. Local leaders can ignore them and continue to pursue their own policies. But if the situation doesn't improve before the primaries in 2028, Newsom may be forced to explain to a national audience why his state, with the fourth-largest economy in the world, has the largest homeless population in the U.S., with about 187,000 people living on the streets, in cars and in decrepit RVs on any given night. 'It's pure triangulation,' said Democratic strategist Max Burns, referring to Newsom's attempt to appeal to both the right and the left. 'This is Gavin Newsom trying to enact this theory that the reason we lost last year was because we were just too progressive." Newsom's call to clear encampments and roll back services for undocumented immigrants and reproductive health care have left many voters wondering where his priorities lie. Carolyn Coleman, CEO of the League of California Cities, said the housing crisis has deep roots that "won't be resolved without a partnership between state and local governments.' 'California cities are not the obstacle to reducing and preventing homelessness,' she said. Newsom, 57, has attempted to tackle the homelessness crisis since entering politics more than two decades ago. In 2002, as a San Francisco supervisor, he pushed a measure to cut the budgets of general assistance programs and redirect the money toward providing more shelters and other services for unhoused people. Fast forward to 2024 when the U.S Supreme Court ruled that banning encampments on public property does not violate the U.S. Constitution. Newsom reacted by telling cities and counties to start getting people off their streets, but to do it "with compassion.' He suggested local leaders establish programs and systems to help unhoused residents find shelter, mental health services and drug treatment centers. Some complied, some didn't. In Los Angeles, which has a homeless population of 45,252, Mayor Karen Bass said she would continue to focus on pairing unhoused people with temporary or transitional housing and would not clear encampments if shelter was unavailable. Several cities, including some in nearby Orange County, have cracked down on encampments and strengthened anti-camping laws. Other local leaders, like the mayor of San Diego, have commended Newsom for continuing to address the crisis but said they have successfully implemented their own policies without his direction. 'It's tempting to look at every single thing that Gavin Newsom does as part of his presidential aspirations,' said Thad Kousser, a political science professor at the University of California, San Diego. 'But this is absolutely in line with the direction that he's been moving in on homelessness throughout his governorship, and also fits longterm parts of his political career.' If Newsom faces voters in 2028, which coincides with the L.A. Olympics, he opens himself up to attacks from both the right and left, Burns said. 'The problem is voters aren't sure what to believe,' he said. 'They've seen him toss so many of these values overboard that no one can quite tell you what Gavin Newsom stands for, and that is going to be a bigger problem for him than anything.' This article was originally published on
