WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Monday ordered the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to halt the planned termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals, one day before protections were scheduled to expire for an estimated 350,000 immigrants.
The ruling pauses a policy initiated under former President Donald Trump that sought to end TPS for Haitians after officials determined that conditions in Haiti no longer justified the designation. The court granted a preliminary injunction, preventing DHS from enforcing the termination while the legal challenge proceeds.
TPS allows eligible nationals of designated countries to remain in the United States when conditions such as armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary circumstances make return unsafe. Haitian nationals first received TPS after the 2010 earthquake that caused widespread destruction in the country. The program protects beneficiaries from deportation and authorizes them to work legally in the United States.
Immigrant rights groups and other plaintiffs sued the federal government, arguing that Haiti continues to face instability and that officials did not properly evaluate country conditions when deciding to end the designation. The injunction allows current beneficiaries to retain their legal status and work authorization beyond the previously scheduled end date.
DHS has stated in prior announcements that TPS is a temporary program and does not provide permanent immigration status. Advocacy organizations have cited ongoing challenges in Haiti, including political and economic difficulties, as reasons to maintain the protections.
