In a controversial but significant legal development, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday permitted former President Donald Trump to terminate deportation protections for thousands of Venezuelan immigrants—unwinding a key immigration safeguard put in place during President Joe Biden’s administration.

The decision, handed down without comment or noted dissent, clears the way for the Trump campaign to act on promises to roll back humanitarian protections if reelected. At the heart of the case was the Biden administration’s use of “humanitarian parole” to grant temporary deportation relief and work permits to over 200,000 Venezuelans fleeing political instability and economic collapse.

A coalition of Republican-led states, including Texas, had sued to block the program, arguing that it was an abuse of executive power and encouraged more illegal immigration. A lower court agreed and ruled the program illegal, but the Biden administration had requested the Supreme Court to allow it to continue while appeals proceeded. That request was denied.

The ruling does not automatically deport the protected Venezuelans but opens the door for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to begin reviewing individual cases, potentially initiating removal proceedings.

The move is expected to further polarize the 2024 election debate on immigration, with Trump doubling down on promises to reinstate stricter border controls and end what he calls “mass amnesty policies.” Immigration advocates, on the other hand, warn that the rollback endangers the lives of those who fled dictatorship and humanitarian disaster.

For now, the decision underscores a sharp pivot in the nation’s immigration priorities, depending on who holds executive power—and signals that with a potential Trump return, America’s doors may close even tighter.