In a major legal setback for President Donald Trump’s administration’s crackdown on immigrant rights, a federal judge in New York has blocked the administration’s attempt to prematurely end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 500,000 Haitians residing in the United States.
The ruling ensures that Haitian nationals will maintain their legal protections through February 3, 2026, as originally designated under the Biden administration.
U.S. District Court Judge Brian M. Cogan issued a 23-page opinion on Tuesday, July 1, declaring the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) effort to curtail the protected status as “unlawful.”
The court explained that early termination violates statutory notice requirements and disrupts the reasonable expectations of those who had relied on TPS to establish lives in the U.S.
“When the Government confers a benefit over a fixed period of time, a beneficiary can reasonably expect to receive that benefit at least until the end of that fixed period,” Judge Cogan wrote.
TPS for Haitians was first enacted in 2010 after a devastating earthquake and has been renewed over the years in light of persistent challenges, including the 2021 quake, political instability, and a growing humanitarian crisis caused by violent gangs. A recent report from the International Organization for Migration estimates that 1.3 million Haitians have been displaced, with gunmen driving more than 11% of the population from their homes.
Despite these worsening conditions, DHS announced plans last week to terminate TPS protections for Haitians as soon as September 2, citing an alleged improvement in the country’s situation. The Trump administration, which has made hardline immigration enforcement a central issue, argued that TPS is inherently temporary and that beneficiaries should anticipate its eventual end.
However, Judge Cogan pushed back against this reasoning, stating that individuals have structured their lives—including jobs, education, and medical care—based on the existing TPS designation.
The lawsuit was brought forward by Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 32BJ, one of the nation’s largest labor unions. Its president, Manny Pastreich, hailed the ruling as a major step in defending immigrant communities.
“We will keep fighting to make sure this decision is upheld,” said Pastreich. “We will keep fighting for the rights of our members and all immigrants against the Trump Administration—in the streets, in the workplace, and in the courts. And when we fight, we win.”
This decision arrives just months after the Supreme Court sided with the Trump administration to lift TPS protections for 350,000 Venezuelans, underscoring the high-stakes legal battles unfolding nationwide over immigrant protections.
So far, DHS has not responded to the court’s ruling.
Haitian TPS holders and their advocates say this legal reprieve offers a crucial moment of stability amid otherwise dire circumstances. Still, they warn that the legal and political challenges are far from over.
