A Venezuelan couple and their three children have lived in the U.S. since 2022 under temporary protected status. Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily halted the deportation of Venezuelan migrants, following a ruling by U.S. District Judge David Briones from Texas. The judge found that the Trump administration’s use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelan men was inappropriate, notably concerning the couple, Julio Cesar Sanchez Puentes and Luddis Norelia Sanchez Garcia, who were accused of affiliation with the Tren de Aragua gang.
Judge Briones criticized the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stating they had failed to provide a lawful basis for the couple’s continued detention. He pointed out that the executive branch’s peacetime application of wartime powers created chaos and uncertainty, undermining due process rights. Initially detained upon entry on October 13, 2022, the couple was released the following day but faced accusations leading to their temporary protected status being revoked on April 1, 2025.
Their attorney, Chris Benoit, expressed gratitude for the court’s decision, asserting that the couple had been wrongly accused. Briones noted that the allegations relied heavily on hearsay and lacked substantial evidence. The couple had challenged their detention multiple times in court, and Briones’ ruling underscored that four judges found no justification for their detention.
The ruling coincides with a broader context where the U.S. Supreme Court paused attempts by the Trump administration to deport Venezuelan nationals amidst claims of due process violations. The government’s position framed these individuals as members of a foreign terrorist organization, but such claims remain contested.
