The company Walt Disney World has placed 45 Venezuelan employees under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) on unpaid leave, although they retain temporary benefits.
The measure, which affects workers who were part of the delivery team at the Florida complex, was adopted after the U.S. Supreme Court authorized the Trump administration to reverse the immigration protections extended during Biden's term.
The affected individuals were notified on Monday, May 20, that they would have a 30-day license to present a new valid employment authorization. If they do not do so, they will face termination of their employment relationship.
"While we work through the complexities of this situation, we have temporarily suspended the affected employees with benefits to ensure that they do not violate the law," a Disney spokesperson said in a statement.
"We are committed to protecting the health, safety, and well-being of all our employees who may be dealing with changing immigration policies and how these may affect them or their families," he added.
The Supreme Court's decision allows the government to eliminate TPS for over 300,000 Venezuelans, paving the way for potential deportation processes for thousands of them.
TPS is a legal designation that provides temporary protection to citizens of countries experiencing humanitarian crises—such as armed conflicts or natural disasters—allowing them to work legally in the United States. Venezuela was one of the countries included in this protection due to the political, economic, and social emergency it has been facing for years.
The Supreme Court's decision reverses a measure taken in October 2023 and expanded in January 2024, which had extended protections until 2026.
However, under the new immigration policy implemented by the Trump administration, this extension has been revoked, on the grounds that it is not subject to judicial review.
Although the revocation of TPS does not imply immediate deportations, it does leave thousands of Venezuelan families who have built their lives in the United States under this protection in a state of legal and employment uncertainty.
The measure has also been criticized by sectors that warn about the humanitarian and economic impact of expelling workers who are already integrated into the country's productive framework.
The situation of Disney employees is one of the first concrete cases illustrating the immediate consequences of the change in immigration policy, while organizations advocating for migrant rights are exploring new legal avenues to curb or mitigate the measure.
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