December 5, 2025
On Wednesday, July 17, a federal judge ordered that the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals be extended until February 3, 2026, thereby overturning a decision by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) which sought to shorten the deadline to September 2, 2025. The DHS, disagreeing with the ruling, has announced it is considering an appeal and reviewing its legal options.
Judge Brian Cogan ruled that Secretary Kristi Noem did not have the legal authority to partially shorten the duration of an already-established TPS designation. He reaffirmed that the protections granted to Haitians should remain in place until the originally scheduled end date.
This decision brings immediate relief to thousands of Haitian beneficiaries who will now be able to retain their legal right to reside and work in the United States through February 2026. However, the DHS’s planned appeal introduces a lingering uncertainty about the program’s future.
In its statement, DHS emphasized that Secretary Noem had determined Haiti no longer met the required conditions for maintaining the designation. This assessment, according to the department, was based on internal evaluations of the situation in Haiti by relevant federal agencies.
For now, the extension of TPS represents a temporary victory for Haitian immigrant advocates, even as the federal government pushes forward with its policy position. The matter remains unresolved, pending further legal battles.
