A federal judge in Brooklyn has halted the Trump administration’s attempt to prematurely terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian migrants, ruling the move violated federal law and statutory procedures.
U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan issued the decision on July 1st, finding that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under Secretary Kristi Noem, failed to follow the requirements set by Congress before ending the program. The court determined that DHS did not conduct a mandatory review of current conditions in Haiti before shortening the extension period.
TPS for Haiti, initially extended by the Biden administration through February 3rd, 2026, provides deportation relief and work permits for over 500,000 Haitian nationals. The Trump administration announced plans earlier this year to rescind the extension, first setting an end date of August 3, later postponing it to September 2nd.
Judge Cogan concluded that Secretary Noem lacked the legal authority to alter Haiti’s TPS designation unilaterally and declared the action unlawful under the Administrative Procedure Act, describing her attempt as a “partial vacatur” that must be deemed unlawful. He emphasized that the plaintiffs, nine Haitian TPS holders and several advocacy organizations, demonstrated they would suffer irreparable harm if the rollback proceeded.
The lawsuit, filed in March, argued that DHS’s sudden policy shift disrupted lives, forced families to prepare for deportation, and failed to account for worsening conditions in Haiti. The country continues to face widespread violence, displacement, and limited access to food, fuel, and medical services.
Guerline Jozef, executive director of Haitian Bridge Alliance, criticized the administration’s actions, calling the move to end TPS a form of “state-sanctioned endangerment” and warning that returning people to a country “overrun by gangs” would endanger lives.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin defended the agency’s position, arguing that the ruling “delays justice” and undermines the president’s authority under the Constitution.
The ruling keeps Haiti’s TPS designation in place until at least February 2026 unless it is lawfully rescinded by federal guidelines. A separate legal challenge on the issue remains pending in Massachusetts federal court.
