SPOKANE, Wash. — A local nonprofit is providing support to dozens Venezuelans and their families after a recent Supreme Court decision left their future in the U.S. uncertain.
Last week, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 350,000 Venezuelans nationwide, according to ABC News.
The Associated Press has reported that the Trump Administration has said immigrants were poorly vetted under the Biden Administration.
The ruling has left many Spokane families fearful of deportation and unsure of their next steps.
Morella Perez, who fled Venezuela nine years ago seeking safety, has called Spokane home for the past three years.
“I had a good job, but I didn’t feel safe. That’s the reason why I came to this country… to have a better life,” Perez said through a translator.
During her first two years in the U.S., Perez supported herself by cleaning houses and working in factories.
She described the emotional toll of leaving her home, saying the decision led to a deep depression for two years.
Despite the challenges, Perez has become a published author and now helps other local immigrants. However, the Supreme Court’s decision to end TPS has brought renewed anxiety.
“The first thought was profound sadness. Us Venezuelans have been coming to this country to contribute to the country and do good,” she said.
Perez has a pending asylum application, which offers some protection, but many others do not have that resource.
Manzanita House, a nonprofit that supports Spokane’s immigrant and refugee population, is currently assisting about 50 Venezuelans in the Eastern Washington region with legal aid, workshops and emotional support.
“Everybody is in fear for their families, for their work. They are scared to take children to schools,” said Patricia Castaneda, co-founder and executive director of Manzanita House and a Venezuelan immigrant herself.
For now, many like Perez remain in limbo, uncertain if the lives they have built in Spokane will be upended.
Castaneda and Perez hope the community will remember that these families are neighbors and coworkers striving for a better life.
Biden granted Venezuelan TPS in 2021 and expanded it in 2023, renewing protections for 18 months before leaving office, CNN reports. Monday’s Supreme Court ruling affects the 2023 designation. Another 250,000 Venezuelans could lose status in September.
For more information and to support Manzanita House’s efforts, visit www.manzanitahousespokane.org.
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