By Mary Campbell | Editorial credit: Luigi W Morris / Shutterstock.com

A federal judge in New York has brought a wave of relief to Haitian nationals and their supporters by halting the Trump administration’s attempt to prematurely terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals residing in the United States, safeguarding protections extended under the Biden administration.

In a 23-page ruling issued Friday, U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan barred the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from enforcing an early termination of TPS for Haitians. The judge’s decision preserves the program’s current end date of February 3, 2026, as set by the Biden administration’s 2024 extension, protecting an estimated 500,000 Haitian immigrants from potential removal.

The court’s decision comes shortly after DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced plans to terminate Haiti’s TPS designation effective September 2, 2025—over a year before the extension expires. Judge Cogan, a George W. Bush appointee, ruled that such a move violates the statutory notice provisions of the TPS framework, which prohibit the government from revoking a designation before the expiration of the most recent extension.

“When the Government confers a benefit over a fixed period, a beneficiary can reasonably expect to receive that benefit at least until the end of that fixed period,” Cogan wrote, emphasizing the principle of reliance and procedural fairness. He further stated that Secretary Noem “cannot reconsider Haiti’s TPS designation in a way that takes effect before February 3, 2026.”

The ruling underscores the disruption early termination would cause TPS holders who, relying on the government’s prior representations, have enrolled in educational programs, accepted employment, and undergone medical treatment. This emphasizes the human impact of the ruling on TPS holders and helps the reader empathize with those affected.

TPS is a statutory mechanism designed to provide temporary relief to nationals of designated countries facing conditions such as armed conflict, natural disasters, or widespread civil unrest. The Biden administration’s extension for Haiti was based on such ongoing instability.

The court’s decision contrasts with a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allowed the federal government to rescind a TPS designation for approximately 350,000 Venezuelans, highlighting the unsettled legal landscape surrounding executive authority in immigration matters.

Despite DHS’s assertion that environmental conditions in Haiti have improved sufficiently to warrant repatriation, the U.S. State Department continues to warn against travel to Haiti due to “kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and limited health care.”

The ruling represents a significant development in the ongoing legal and political battles over the future of humanitarian immigration programs in the United States, underscoring the high stakes and the need for continued vigilance.