Judge Halts Removal of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans, Haitians

The ruling shields 600,000 Venezuelans and 500,000 Haitians from deportation after the Trump administration canceled TPS protections.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem speaks during a press briefing with Ecuador's Minister of Interior John Reinberg at the Ecuadorian Presidential Palace in Quito, Ecuador, on July 31, 2025. Alex Brandon/Pool via Getty Images

A San Francisco-based federal judge on Sept. 5 ruled the Trump administration may not cancel the temporary protected status (TPS) that prevents Venezuelans and Haitians from being deported from the United States.

TPS is a designation that allows individuals from countries affected by armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary events to remain in the United States. The designation allows the federal government to develop a path to citizenship for qualifying immigrants who cannot return home safely.