Court blocks Trump bid to end protections for 600,000 Venezuelans

Appellate panel upholds lower court's ruling as homeland security spokesperson attacks activist' judges

A federal appeals court on Friday blocked Donald Trump's plans to end protections for 600,000 people from Venezuela who have permission to live and work in the US, saying that plaintiffs are likely to win their claim that the president's administration's actions were unlawful.

A three-judge panel of the ninth US circuit court of appeals unanimously upheld a lower court ruling that maintained temporary protected status for Venezuelans while TPS holders challenge actions by the Republican president's administration in court.