Federal Judge Blocks Trump’s Deportation Plan, Protects 60,000 Immigrants from Expulsion
In a major legal setback for the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration crackdown, a federal judge in San Francisco has blocked the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 60,000 immigrants from Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua, keeping deportation protections in place while the case proceeds.
The ruling by US District Judge Trina L. Thompson ensures that these long-term residents of the United States—many of whom have lived and worked in the country for decades—can continue to stay legally and retain their work authorization, at least temporarily.
What Is TPS and Why It Matters
Understanding Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
Temporary Protected Status is a humanitarian safeguard granted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to nationals of countries suffering from armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions. It allows them to remain in the US and work legally while their home countries remain unsafe.
TPS does not lead to permanent residency, but it has provided essential stability for hundreds of thousands of immigrants living in the US for decades.
Trump Administration’s Hardline Approach
DHS Secretary Noem’s Move Sparks Legal Challenge
Kristi Noem, Homeland Security Secretary under former President Donald Trump, moved earlier this year to revoke TPS protections for thousands of nationals from Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua, arguing that conditions in those countries had improved significantly since the disasters that originally justified the designation.
Noem’s rationale cited the recovery from Hurricane Mitch in 1998 and claimed that the Central American nations had made “significant progress.” She also stated that Nepal had recovered from its 2015 earthquake. Based on this assessment, the administration gave affected TPS holders as little as two months to leave the US.
Judge Thompson’s Ruling: A Legal and Moral Rejection
Sharp Critique of Racial Motivation and Flawed Review
In her written opinion, Judge Thompson issued a scathing critique of the administration’s handling of TPS revocation. She ruled that the decision to terminate protections lacked an “objective review of country conditions,” citing continued political unrest in Honduras, government repression in Nicaragua, and ongoing hardship in Nepal.
Even more pointedly, Thompson linked the termination to racial and discriminatory motivations, referencing statements by both Trump and Noem that perpetuated the “discriminatory belief that certain immigrant populations will replace the white population.”
“Color is neither a poison nor a crime,” Thompson wrote. “The freedom to live fearlessly, the opportunity of liberty, and the American dream. That is all Plaintiffs seek. Instead, they are told to atone for their race, leave because of their names, and purify their blood.”
The Human Cost of Revoking TPS
Devastating Consequences for Families, Communities, and the Economy
Lawyers for the plaintiffs emphasized the abruptness of the removal order and the irreparable harm it would cause to TPS holders and their families.
“They gave them two months to leave the country. It’s awful,” said Ahilan Arulanantham, legal counsel for the plaintiffs, during a hearing.
Judge Thompson agreed, highlighting how termination would lead to mass job losses, loss of healthcare, and the breakup of families. Her ruling also cited a projected $1.4 billion loss to the US economy if the TPS protections were ended for these populations.
Diplomatic Reactions: Praise from Honduras, Silence from Nicaragua
Foreign Ministers Respond
Javier Bu Soto, Honduras’ Foreign Minister, welcomed the ruling, calling it “good news” and a recognition of basic human rights.
“The decision recognizes that the petitioners are looking to exercise their right to live in freedom and without fear while the litigation plays out,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter).
In contrast, Nicaragua’s government remained silent. Under President Daniel Ortega and Vice President Rosario Murillo, Nicaragua has undergone a deep authoritarian shift, with mass exiles, suppression of NGOs, and imprisonment of political dissidents. Human rights advocates argue that deporting people back into that environment would constitute a humanitarian crisis.
A Broader Pattern: The Trump Deportation Doctrine
Mass Revocation of Humanitarian Protections
This ruling is only the latest chapter in a broader Trump administration effort to dismantle legal protections for immigrants. Over the past year, the administration has revoked TPS or similar protections for:
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350,000 Venezuelans
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500,000 Haitians
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160,000 Ukrainians
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Thousands more from Afghanistan and Cameroon
Many of these terminations are still being contested in federal courts across the country.
The Justice Department, defending the administration, argued that Secretary Noem has the authority to grant or rescind TPS designations based on her assessments and that TPS is not meant to be permanent.
“It is not meant to be permanent,” said William Weiland, an attorney for the DOJ.
What Happens Next?
Legal Battle Continues, Next Hearing in November
Judge Thompson’s ruling does not provide a permanent resolution. It keeps TPS protections in place while the lawsuit moves forward, with the next hearing scheduled for November 18, 2025.
The court will continue to assess whether the administration’s actions were legal—and constitutional.
A Historic Moment for Immigrant Rights
This decision is being hailed as a critical turning point by immigration advocates who see the Trump administration’s policies as an existential threat to immigrant communities. For the thousands of TPS holders from Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua, the ruling offers a lifeline—and a chance to continue living in the only country many of them know as home.