By Newspot Nigeria Global Desk
In a significant legal setback for the Trump administration, a U.S. federal judge in Brooklyn has ruled that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cannot prematurely terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nearly 350,000 Haitian migrants living in the United States.
The ruling, delivered late Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan, halts the government’s plan to revoke the protected legal status and work permits of Haitian nationals by September 3, 2025. Judge Cogan, appointed by former President George W. Bush, emphasized that the DHS Secretary, Kristi Noem, lacks both statutory and inherent authority to end Haiti’s TPS designation before the scheduled expiration date of February 3, 2026.
TPS is a humanitarian program that allows migrants from countries experiencing armed conflict or natural disasters to live and work legally in the U.S. Haiti received TPS designation in 2010 after a devastating earthquake, and the Biden administration had extended the protections through 2026.
DHS had attempted to scale back this extension, arguing that the situation in Haiti had sufficiently improved. However, Judge Cogan cited ongoing instability in the country—including gang violence and a fragile public health system—as justification for maintaining protections.
“Plaintiffs have enrolled in schools, taken jobs, and begun courses of medical treatment in the United States in reliance on Haiti’s TPS designation lasting until at least February 3, 2026,” the judge wrote in his 23-page ruling, siding with Haitian migrants who challenged the administration’s plan.
The White House sharply criticized the ruling and has announced plans to appeal. A spokesperson said the administration remains confident that the Supreme Court will eventually uphold its decision to end TPS for Haiti, as it did recently for Venezuela.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin echoed that position, stating the program has strayed from its original purpose. “Haiti’s TPS was granted following an earthquake that took place over 15 years ago. It was never intended to be a de facto asylum program,” she said.
Immigrant rights groups, meanwhile, have praised the court’s decision as a crucial step in protecting vulnerable Haitian families who have built lives in the U.S.
With immigration continuing to dominate the political agenda under President Trump’s second term, this ruling marks yet another flashpoint in the broader battle over America’s migration policy.
This report is brought to you by Newspot Nigeria.
