Noem’s Comments on Venezuelans Cast Doubt on Protection Removal

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s move to strip the protected status of some 350,000 Venezuelans living the US could be sidetracked by comments she made about them, as a panel of Ninth Circuit judges focused on the question of unconstitutional animus during oral arguments Wednesday.

Judge Salvador Mendoza, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, quoted Noem’s statement that “Venezuela purposely emptied out their prisons, emptied out their mental health facilities and sent them to the United States of America” as a reason to end the Temporary Protected Status program for Venezuelans, which could be evidence of unconstitutional ...