Federal Judge Blocks Trump Ending TPS for 1 Million Migrants

A federal judge, Edward Chen, has blocked the Trump administration's attempt to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for roughly 1 million immigrants from Venezuela and Haiti, ruling that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem acted illegally and arbitrarily without sound reasoning. Chen highlighted that racial and ethnic animus could be inferred from derogatory statements made by both Noem and President Trump, including inflammatory remarks about Haitian immigrants. The judge's ruling emphasized that the administration's unprecedented decision to vacate previously granted TPS extensions violated federal law and lacked a reasoned decision-making process. Despite opposition from the Department of Homeland Security, which criticized TPS as a politicized program, Chen's order remains in effect pending appeal, protecting thousands from deportation. The ruling follows a Supreme Court order that only addressed preliminary relief but did not prevent Chen from issuing a final judgment on the merits of the case. This legal battle underscores ongoing tensions over immigration policy and the use of TPS protections under the current administration.