US judge blocks Trump from ending Temporary Protected Status for Haitians

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NEW YORK - A federal judge on Tuesday rejected the Trump administrations bid to end temporary deportation protections and work permits for approximately 521,000 Haitian immigrants before the programs scheduled expiration date.

The Department of Homeland Security had in February rescinded Democratic President Joe Bidens extension through February 3, 2026 of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians.

It called for the program to end on August 3, and last week pushed back that date to September 2.

U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan in Brooklyn, however, said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem did not follow instructions and a timeline mandated by Congress to reconsider the TPS designation for Haitians.

Secretary Noem does not have statutory or inherent authority to partially vacate a countrys TPS designation, making her actions unlawful, Cogan wrote. Plaintiffs are likely to (and, indeed, do) succeed on the merits.

Cogan also said Haitians interests in being able to live and work in the United States far outweigh potential harm to the U.S. government, which remains free to enforce immigration laws and terminate TPS status as prescribed by Congress.

Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Cogan was appointed to the bench by Republican President George W. Bush.

The case had been filed on March 14 by nine Haitian TPS holders who said Noem did not do a required review of current conditions in Haiti before ending TPS early.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs had no immediate comment.

TRUMP CRACKDOWN

Republican President Donald Trump has made a crackdown on legal and illegal immigration a central plank of his second White House term.

Federal courts blocked Trump from ending most TPS enrollment during his first term.