Judge blocks DHS plan to end TPS for certain nations, asserting racial animus

A San-Francisco-based federal judge on Friday blocked the Department of Homeland Security's efforts to cancel temporary protected status (TPS) for recipients from Nepal, Nicaragua, and Honduras.

Judge Trina Thompson asserted that Trump administration officials had demonstrated a likely racial motivation for the cancellation and paused the deadline for them to leave the country.

"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 Court disagrees," she asserted. "The Court orders that the TPS terminations shall be postponed to preserve the status quo and until a hearing on the merits on November 18, 2025. Postponement will be subject to extension at the November 18, 2025 hearing."

The move is a blow to Trump's efforts to speedily deport large swathes of immigrants and another instance of a federal judge blocking White House policy, even after the Supreme Court narrowed the scope of nationwide injunctions.