Federal judge blocks Trump administration from terminating interim legal status for many Haitians
NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge in New York on Tuesday blocked the Trump administration from terminating interim legal status of 500,000 Haitians who are already in the United States.
New York District Court Judge Brian M.
According to court documents, the Biden administration has expanded Haiti’s TPS status to at least February 3, 2026, due to gang violence, political unrest, major earthquakes in 2021, and several other factors.
But last week, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it would terminate these legal protections on September 2, which led to the potential deportation of Haitians. The department said the conditions in the country have improved and Haitians no longer meet the conditions under temporary legal protection.
The ruling comes from President Donald Trump’s commitment to end protection and programs for immigrants as part of his commitment to mass deportation.
The judge’s 23-page opinion pointed out that the Department of Homeland Security’s move to terminate legal protection violates the TPS regulations, which require certain notices before reconsidering the designation.
“When the government grants benefits within a fixed time, the beneficiary can reasonably expect such gains at least until the end of the fixed period,” the ruling said.
The judge also mentioned the fact that the plaintiff had started working, enrolled in schools and began receiving medical treatment and expected the country’s TPS name to run by the end of this year.
Manny Pastreich, president of the service employee International Local 32BJ, called the ruling a “important step” but said the fight is not over yet.
“We will continue to work to ensure that this decision is maintained,” Pastreich said in a statement. “We will continue to fight for the rights of members and all immigrants – so is the streets, workplaces and courts. When we fight, we win.”
DHS did not immediately respond to the Associated Press email requesting comments. But the government believes that TPS is a temporary program, so “the terminating a country’s TPS designation is something that beneficiaries must always expect.”
According to the lawsuit, Haiti’s TPS status was initially activated in 2010 and extended several times after the catastrophic earthquake.
A report by the International Organization for Migration shows that gang violence has been displaced as local governments and the international community fight the spiral crisis. The report said that since December, displaced people have increased by 24%, and gunmen have chased 11% of Haiti’s nearly 12 million residents from their homes.
In May, the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to deprive temporary protective status from 350,000 Venezuelans and potentially expose them to deportation. The order holds a ruling from a federal judge in San Francisco that places legal protections in place.
The judge’s ruling in New York also followed closely by the Trump administration, revoking legal protections from thousands of Haitians who arrived legally through humanitarian parole programs.
