Janie Har | Associated Press

A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday upheld a lower court ruling that maintained temporary protected status for Venezuelans while the case proceeded through court. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen of San Francisco found in March that plaintiffs were likely to prevail on their claim that the administration overstepped its authority in terminating the protections.

The three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the Department of Homeland Security's request for an emergency stay as they appeal. The court wrote that the government has “not demonstrated that they will suffer irreparable harm absent a stay.”

The order by U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco is a relief for 350,000 Venezuelans whose Temporary Protected Status was set to expire April 7 after Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reversed protections granted by the Biden administration.