U.S. judge blocks early end to TPS for Haitians

New York.- A U.S. federal judge ruled on Tuesday that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristin Noem exceeded her legal authority when she attempted to shorten the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) extension for over 500,000 Haitians—a protection originally granted under the Biden administration.

Judge Brian Cogan, of the federal court in New York, determined that Noem had no legal right to partially rescind the already-approved 18-month extension, which was set to last until February 3, 2026. In February, she had reduced the extension to 12 months, with an early expiration date of August 3, 2025, and subsequently announced an end to the immigration benefit.

The judge emphasized that tens of thousands of Haitians depend on TPS for legal residency, work authorization, and protection from deportation, and stated that the sudden change caused “significant harm” that the court is empowered to reverse. The ruling stems from a lawsuit filed by nine Haitian TPS holders, but Judge Cogan clarified that the decision will apply to all Haitian TPS beneficiaries, citing violations of the Administrative Procedure Act.

This court decision blocks the federal government’s earlier order, which had required TPS recipients to apply for a different immigration status or leave the country by September 2. The ruling restores protections for the estimated 521,000 Haitians currently covered by TPS since the Biden administration renewed it in July 2024.

TPS is a humanitarian immigration status granted to people from countries facing natural disasters, conflict, or other severe crises. Haiti has held TPS designation repeatedly since the 2010 earthquake due to its continued sociopolitical instability.