A federal judge in California ruled that the Trump administration unlawfully terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 60,000 immigrants from Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. In a sharply worded 52-page decision, U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson found that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem failed to follow required federal procedures when ending the protections.
Judge Thompson held that DHS did not adequately review current country conditions or provide the customary six-month transition period before terminating TPS—both long-standing agency practices. The court concluded that the administration improperly narrowed its analysis of conditions in the affected countries and misinterpreted the TPS statute and DHS’s historical approach.
TPS is granted to nationals of countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions that make safe return unsafe. The ruling impacts approximately 52,000 Honduran nationals, more than 7,100 from Nepal, and nearly 3,000 from Nicaragua.
The court also denied the Justice Department’s motion to dismiss the case, emphasizing that executive officials are not above the law and must comply with the Administrative Procedure Act. Judge Thompson underscored the responsibility of public officials to ensure that the law protects vulnerable communities who often lack a voice in policymaking.
The decision comes amid broader legal challenges to the administration’s efforts to revoke humanitarian protections. While the Ninth Circuit previously allowed TPS terminations to proceed, another federal judge in Massachusetts recently halted the termination of TPS for South Sudanese nationals, signaling continued judicial scrutiny. Overall, the administration’s actions this year have resulted in the loss of legal status for more than 1.5 million immigrants nationwide.