In Doral, Florida, members of the Venezuelan community gathered for a vigil to express their concerns over the potential end of protections that currently shield them from deportation. This assembly was fueled by anxieties surrounding the expiration of temporary protected status for over 340,000 Venezuelans.

Community Solidarity

The vigil, which took place at the El Arepazo restaurant on Northwest 58th Street, featured attendees holding candles and singing in unity, aiming to raise awareness about their plight. Activist Mari Carina Vega highlighted the significance of a recent court ruling, saying, “I especially thank the fact that Judge Chen protected Venezuelans.”

Judicial Intervention

Last week, U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco issued an order to temporarily halt the revocation of deportation protections. He pointed out that any deportation might lead to irreversible situations for affected migrants, even if they later proved they had Just cause to remain in the U.S.

Despite this legal reprieve, uncertainty looms as the federal government is appealing the ruling. Adelys Ferro, a representative of the Venezuelan-American Caucus, expressed her concerns, stating, “But still, the fear is there, the uncertainty is there, because the government is appealing.”

Calls for Action

At the vigil, speakers emphasized the need for action from local representatives. One Cuban-Venezuelan participant questioned the logic behind deporting individuals back to Venezuela while the crisis under President Nicolás Maduro persists, stating, “I don’t understand why now… our government wants to send Venezuelans back.”

Another speaker, who identified himself as Chris, encouraged community members to engage their elected officials to advocate for prolonged protections: “We need our elected officials — whether they’re Republican, Democrat, whatever they are — to do their job. This community was built by immigrants.”

Advocacy Efforts

Vigil participants urged attendees to contact U.S. Representatives María Elvira Salazar, Mario Díaz-Balart, and Carlos Jiménez to express their support for extending Temporary Protected Status. Ferro remarked, “If they are really supporting us… please ask them to drop the appeal.”

However, as of now, there are no indications the Trump administration will retract its appeal, with reports suggesting that officials may escalate the matter to the Supreme Court.