U.S. Judge Blocks End of Temporary Protected Status for 60,000 Immigrants from Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua

U.S. Judge Blocks End of Temporary Protected Status for 60,000 Immigrants from Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua

Last Updated Aug - 01 - 2025, 06:38 PM | Source : Fela News

A federal judge halts the Trump administration’s plan to end TPS for thousands from Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua, citing racial bias and failure to assess cou

A U.S. federal judge on July 31, 2025, blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 60,000 immigrants from Central America and Asia, including Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua. The ruling preserves the protections, which allow recipients to work and avoid deportation, while the legal case proceeds, with the next hearing scheduled for November 18.

TPS is a humanitarian program that the Homeland Security Secretary can extend to individuals whose home countries are unsafe due to disasters or political instability. Secretary Kristi Noem had decided to terminate TPS for thousands of Hondurans and Nicaraguans, arguing that recovery from Hurricane Mitch had made their return viable. Similarly, TPS for around 7,000 Nepalis was set to expire on August 5, and for over 54,000 Hondurans and Nicaraguans by September 8.

However, U.S. District Judge Trina L. Thompson ruled that the administration failed to conduct an objective assessment of current conditions, such as political turmoil in Honduras and ongoing disasters in Nicaragua. Her order stated that revoking TPS could lead to severe consequences, including loss of employment, health coverage, family separation, and forced deportation, adding that the economic impact could total $1.4 billion.

Judge Thompson’s ruling further cited racist undertones in the administration’s policies, accusing both Trump and Noem of promoting the belief that non-white immigrants would displace white Americans. She emphasized that “color is neither a poison nor a crime.”

Attorneys representing the plaintiffs said the decision was made hastily, giving affected individuals only two months to leave. Honduran Foreign Minister Javier Bu Soto welcomed the ruling, calling it a victory for freedom and dignity. In contrast, Nicaragua remains under authoritarian rule, with ongoing repression under President Daniel Ortega. Despite government arguments asserting executive authority over TPS, the court emphasized the need for fairness and non-discrimination in immigration policy.

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