A federal judge on Friday blocked the administration's effort to terminate temporary legal protections for more than 1.1 million Venezuelans and Haitians, finding that the Homeland Security secretary exceeded her statutory authority and acted arbitrarily and capriciously.
U.S. District Judge Edward Chen of San Francisco ruled for the plaintiffs, preserving status that allows beneficiaries to live and work in the United States. Chen's order specifically covers about 600,000 Venezuelans whose protections had expired in April or were set to expire Sept. 10, and extends to other beneficiaries from Haiti and Venezuela covered by the challenged decisions.
In his decision, Chen said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's actions in terminating and vacating three TPS extensions granted by the prior administration exceeded her statutory authority and were arbitrary and capricious. The judge's finding invokes the standard under the Administrative Procedure Act that courts use to review federal agency actions.
The order prevents the department from carrying out Noem's termination of the three extension decisions while the litigation proceeds. The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, is a designation the Homeland Security secretary can grant to nationals of certain countries who are already in the United States when conditions in their homelands—such as natural disasters, armed conflict or other extraordinary conditions—make return unsafe. TPS recipients may receive authorization to work and protection from removal for the period the designation is in effect.
The litigation centers on the administration's move to unwind extensions that had been put in place by the previous administration. Plaintiffs challenged Noem's decision to terminate and vacate those extensions, arguing the secretary lacked authority to undo them and that the department failed to follow required procedures in doing so. Chen agreed that the department's action exceeded the bounds of its authority and was not adequately justified.
The ruling will allow affected Venezuelans and Haitians to retain work authorization and protection from deportation while the case continues. Attorneys for the plaintiffs said the decision preserves stability for families and workers who have relied on the protections; the court record shows hundreds of thousands have obtained work authorization and otherwise organized their lives around the status.
The litigation is part of a broader legal and political battle over immigration policy that has seen courts frequently review federal immigration decisions. The administration has in recent months taken a series of measures aimed at tightening immigration controls, while challengers have asserted those steps often run afoul of statutory limits or administrative procedures.
Chen's decision sets the stage for further briefing and potential appeals. The scope of any final resolution will depend on subsequent rulings by the district court and, if appealed, by higher courts. For now, the order preserves the status quo for the more than 1.1 million people affected by the challenged terminations.
The case name and specific legal filings were detailed in the district court docket. The decision was issued amid heightened public attention to immigration policy and the administration's enforcement priorities.
As the litigation proceeds, affected individuals and advocacy groups will monitor subsequent court scheduling, administrative responses and any appeal that the department may file seeking to overturn the district court's interim ruling. The ruling does not permanently resolve the legal status of the TPS designations; it preserves protections while courts consider the legality of the department's decision-making process.