US President Donald Trump has ended protection against deportation for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans in the country, the “New York Times“ reports, citing US government documents.
This move affects more than 300,000 people, or about half of the 600,000 Venezuelans with temporary protected status living in the US, Reuters notes on the subject.
Once the measure is officially published, those affected by it will lose their protected status and their work permit in the US within 60 days. It is not yet clear when this decision will be officially approved.
Yesterday, Trump said that Venezuela had agreed to accept the return of Venezuelans who entered the United States without legal permission. The Venezuelan government did not respond to a request for comment.
Temporary protected status is granted to people whose country of origin has experienced a natural disaster, armed conflict or other extraordinary event.
Thousands of people protested in Southern California against President Donald Trump's planned mass deportations, the Associated Press reported, quoted by BTA.
There was also a protest in downtown Los Angeles, where demonstrators blocked a major street.
This morning, protesters gathered on the historic “Olvera“ in Los Angeles, which dates back to the city's Spanish and Mexican rule, before heading to City Hall. They called for immigration reform and carried signs that read: "Nobody is Illegal."
In the afternoon, protesters blocked all lanes of a major boulevard, bringing traffic to a standstill in both directions.
Hundreds of people also protested in the city of Riverside. Passing drivers honked their horns and shouted in support of the protesters, who waved flags at a downtown intersection.
In San Diego, hundreds of people gathered outside the city's convention center.
In Dallas, Texas, about 1,600 people took part in two protests against recent arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Protesters carried Mexican and American flags, and speakers expressed outrage at Trump's rhetoric and his administration's actions to increase deportations.