Judge Now Deals Major Blow to Trump by Blocking Termination of TPS

In a significant victory for immigrant rights advocates, a federal judge has halted the Trump administration’s efforts to revoke temporary legal protections for more than 1 million individuals from Venezuela and Haiti living in the United States.

The decision, issued on Friday, September 5, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Edward Chen in San Francisco, ensures that approximately 600,000 Venezuelans and 500,000 Haitians can continue to live and work legally in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and related programs.

The ruling comes amid the second Trump administration’s aggressive push to curtail immigration programs, including the termination of TPS and Humanitarian Parole for around 1.5 million people overall.

Judge Chen sharply criticized Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, describing her decision to end these protections as “arbitrary and capricious” and beyond her authority.

He emphasized that the move would force individuals back to “conditions that are so dangerous that even the State Department advises against travel to their home countries.”

Temporary Protected Status is a humanitarian program established under U.S. law, allowing the Secretary of Homeland Security to grant temporary legal status to nationals of countries experiencing severe crises, such as natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary conditions that make safe return impossible.

TPS holders are shielded from deportation and permitted to work legally in the U.S. Designations are typically issued for 6, 12, or 18 months and can be extended if conditions persist.

Haiti was first designated for TPS in 2010 following a devastating 7.0 magnitude earthquake that killed or injured hundreds of thousands and displaced over 1 million people.

The country continues to grapple with widespread hunger, gang violence, and instability.

Venezuela’s designation stems from a prolonged crisis involving political unrest, hyperinflation, corruption, economic mismanagement, and mass unemployment, prompting millions to flee.

The Biden administration had extended these protections, but Secretary Noem revoked them, arguing that conditions in both countries had improved sufficiently and that continuing the program was not in the national interest.

She claimed TPS had been “abused, exploited, and politicized as a de facto amnesty program.”

Government attorneys maintained that the secretary’s authority over TPS decisions is broad and not subject to judicial review.

However, Judge Chen rejected this stance, noting that for 35 years, administrations have made TPS determinations through a deliberate process involving interagency consultation and analysis.

“Until now,” he wrote, highlighting the unprecedented speed and manner of Noem’s actions as violations of the law.

Key Details of the Ruling and Its Immediate Impact

The injunction directly affects Venezuelans whose protections expired in April 2025 or were set to end on September 10, 2025, and Haitians whose designations were extended until February 2026 under a separate New York court order.

While the ruling prevents further terminations, it remains unclear if it will retroactively aid those already deported or detained due to earlier lapses in protection.

Plaintiffs, including TPS holders and advocacy groups, provided court declarations illustrating the human cost of the administration’s policies.

One example involved a restaurant hostess from Indiana deported to Venezuela in July 2025 after a routine immigration check-in, leaving her husband unable to simultaneously work and care for their infant daughter.

Another case described a FedEx employee detained in June 2025 during his check-in, who spent weeks sleeping on a floor in fear of deportation to El Salvador’s infamous CECOT prison.

“I am not a criminal,” he stated in the declaration.

“Immigrants like myself come to the United States to work hard and contribute, and instead our families and lives are being torn apart.”

Emi Maclean, senior staff attorney with the ACLU Foundation of Northern California, hailed the decision: “In recent months, people have suffered unspeakable harm — including deportation and family separation — due to the Supreme Court greenlighting Secretary Noem’s discriminatory and harmful agenda.

That must end now.”

A DHS spokesperson responded via email, defending the administration’s position and vowing to pursue “every legal option” to overturn the ruling.

They accused “unelected activist judges” of obstructing the “American people’s desire for a secure country.”

Legal Twists and Broader Context

This case has seen multiple legal developments.

In March 2025, Judge Chen issued a temporary pause on ending TPS for Venezuelans, affecting about 350,000 individuals.

However, the U.S. Supreme Court reversed that order in May 2025 without explanation—a common practice in emergency appeals—allowing terminations to proceed while the lawsuit continued.

This led to job losses, family separations, detentions, and deportations for many.

The Supreme Court’s action does not impact Friday’s ruling, but the government is expected to appeal.

Adding to the momentum for plaintiffs, a three-judge appeals panel last week ruled that the administration lacked authority to vacate extensions granted by the prior administration.

The decision fits into a larger pattern of lawsuits challenging the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, which has intensified arrests of undocumented individuals and dismantled temporary legal pathways.

Nationwide, advocates have filed suits over the termination of protections for 1.5 million people.

Implications for U.S. Immigration Policy

This ruling underscores ongoing tensions between executive actions on immigration and judicial oversight.

As the administration ramps up enforcement, including facilities like “Camp 57” at the Louisiana State Penitentiary—recently toured by Secretary Noem—critics argue such policies exacerbate humanitarian crises without addressing root causes.

For TPS holders, the decision offers immediate relief, allowing them to maintain employment and family stability.

However, with appeals looming, the long-term fate of these protections remains uncertain.

Immigrant rights groups urge continued vigilance, emphasizing the life-or-death stakes for those facing return to perilous conditions in Haiti and Venezuela.

Also Read: ICE is Now Recruiting Teens and Seniors in ‘Desperate Attempt’

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