In a significant judicial ruling on Monday, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes, based in Washington, issued an order temporarily blocking the Trump administration’s attempt to end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) granted to roughly 350,000 Haitians residing in the United States. This development halts the scheduled termination of TPS protections for Haitian nationals originally set for February 3, pending the resolution of a formal legal challenge.
The court’s action follows a lawsuit contesting the termination, with Judge Reyes delivering a detailed 83-page opinion that supports the plaintiffs' position. The judge expressed that the plaintiffs are "likely to succeed on the merits" of their claims, and stated there is a "substantial likelihood" that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s decision to end TPS for Haitians was influenced by "hostility to nonwhite immigrants." The accompanying two-page order explicitly declares that the termination currently holds "no legal effect," ensuring Haitian TPS recipients retain their work authorization and protection from detention and deportation for the time being.
Temporary Protected Status is a humanitarian designation granted at the discretion of the Homeland Security Secretary when conditions in a recipient’s home country render return unsafe, such as due to natural disasters, political turmoil, or other critical threats. While TPS provides recipients the right to reside and seek employment in the U.S., it does not confer a path to citizenship or permanent residency.
The Trump administration has aggressively pursued the cessation of several TPS programs, a move aligned with its broader agenda to intensify immigration enforcement and increase deportations. Alongside the Haitian population protected under TPS, Secretary Noem has also ended protections for nearly 600,000 Venezuelans and various groups from Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Cameroon. Several of these decisions are likewise being challenged in federal courts.
Haiti’s TPS designation was initially implemented in 2010 following a devastating earthquake and has been extended multiple times due to ongoing instability. Notably, the country continues to grapple with severe gang violence and displacement affecting hundreds of thousands of its citizens.
Legal representatives for Haitian TPS holders have argued in court that ending the status could result in fatalities, including through violence, disease, and starvation. They assert that Noem’s decision was driven by racial animus and failed to adequately consider the existence of armed conflict in Haiti that constitutes a "serious threat" to personal safety—a factor mandated to be evaluated by law.
The Department of Homeland Security contended that the conditions in Haiti have improved, citing the formation of a new multinational force tasked with combating gang activity and other advancements. DHS lawyers have denied allegations of racial bias, arguing that the claims rely on statements "taken out of context" and do not directly relate to Secretary Noem’s determinations. They maintain that the Secretary has provided "reasoned, facially sufficient explanations" for her decisions.
The notice issued by the government in November stated that permitting Haitians to remain under TPS was no longer in the national interest, despite acknowledging progress in addressing the country’s security challenges.