Judge Blocks Trump from Ending Protections for 1.1M Migrants

A judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration from revoking hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan and Haitian immigrants’ immigration protections.

U.S. District Judge Edward Chen ruled Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s moves to terminate the immigrants’ “temporary protected status” was “preordained without any [meaningful] analysis and review.”

Chen, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama, argued that his ruling did not conflict with the previous Supreme Court decision. He said the case was only in a preliminary posture then, and their orders applied just to a temporary block he had issued. Chen also explained that the higher court did not stop him from fully considering the case and rendering a decision on the merits of the case.

Anticipating an appeal from the Trump administration, Chen made his ruling effective immediately, noting the “significant rights of the Venezuelan and Haitian TPS holders who have lost or will lose status in the absence of relief.”