Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration Ending TPS for 520,000 Haitians

A federal judge, Brian Cogan, blocked the Trump administration's attempt to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for over 520,000 Haitian immigrants before the program's scheduled expiration in February 2026. Cogan ruled that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem lacked the statutory authority to partially terminate TPS protections early and did not follow Congress-mandated procedures, making her actions unlawful. The judge emphasized that Haitians' interests in living and working in the U.S. outweigh potential government harm, noting that many have established lives based on prior government assurances about TPS duration. The Trump administration, continuing its campaign to tighten immigration policies, argued that conditions in Haiti had improved sufficiently for safe return, but this was contradicted by ongoing instability reported by the State Department. The ruling underscores the judiciary's role in enforcing immigration statutes and temporarily halts efforts by the Trump administration to revoke protections granted under prior administrations. This decision is seen as a setback for the current administration's immigration priorities and preserves legal protections for Haitian migrants for now.