TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DETAINS INDIVIDUAL WITH LEGAL STATUS IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW
- digital7077
- Apr 15
- 2 min read
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2025
Contact: Texas Civil Rights Project, media@texascivilrightsproject.org
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION DETAINS INDIVIDUAL WITH LEGAL STATUS IN VIOLATION OF FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW
A Venezuelan national with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in January – yet he remains detained in violation of law. TCRP joins RAICES & American Gateways in filing a habeas corpus petition on his behalf
AUSTIN, TX – In August 2024, ICE detained Janfrank Berrios Laguna, a Venezuelan national. In January 2025, the government afforded him Temporary Protected Status (TPS) – a symbol of the deep, ongoing humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. The law is clear: anyone who holds TPS status shall not be detained. Despite this, the government continues to detain our client in violation of the clear statutory direction contained in the federal TPS statute.
Janfrank’s detention comes during a difficult time for those holding TPS status, as the future of TPS remains uncertain. During the Biden Administration, TPS was designated for 532,000 individuals escaping humanitarian crises.
The Texas Civil Rights Project, RAICES, and American Gateways have filed a habeas corpus petition on behalf of Janfrank to demand a review of his unlawful detention. View the filing here.
“Temporary Protected Status is a designation reserved for the most vulnerable - those who have fled their home country and cannot return due to ongoing humanitarian emergencies. Janfrank cannot go home to Venezuela and has been granted TPS from the federal government. The law could not be more clear: he shall not be held in detention,” said Daniel Hatoum, Senior Supervising Attorney for the Beyond Border Program at the Texas Civil Rights Project. “Stories like Janfrank’s display the Trump administration’s continued lies to the American people: it’s not only undocumented individuals, it’s also TPS holders and even U.S. citizens being targeted. It has never been about doing things ‘the right way’. The Texas Civil Rights Project stands with TPS holders and will fight alongside them to protect their civil rights. ”
If you have any questions, please contact TCRP media representatives.
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The Texas Civil Rights Project is boldly serving the movement for equality and justice in and out of the courts. We use our tools of litigation and legal advocacy to protect and advance the civil rights of everyone in Texas, and we partner with communities across the state to serve the rising movement for social justice. We undertake our work with a vision of a Texas in which all communities can thrive with dignity, justice and without fear.