
A federal judge on Monday evening suspended the Trump administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitians, including more than 150,000 living in South Florida. The measure was set to take effect at midnight.
Judge Ana C. Reyes ruled that the Department of Homeland Security acted in violation of the law by scheduling the revocation of TPS. Her order temporarily maintains protection from deportation and work authorization for more than 300,000 beneficiaries.
The plaintiffs—TPS holders and a Haitian religious organization—argued that the contested decision was tainted by “racial animus,” citing previous statements by former President Trump targeting the Haitian community. For the first time, the ruling upheld an argument based on race-related equal protection.
The decision comes as Haiti faces a major security crisis marked by widespread gang violence. Migrant advocates believe that forced returns would expose beneficiaries to serious risks. The administration, which has already terminated TPS for other countries, is expected to appeal to the Supreme Court to challenge the injunction.
