Federal Judge Halts Trump Administration's End To Haitian TPS
U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes' 83-page order on Feb. 2, 2026, stays a termination set for 11:59 p.m. Feb. 3, 2026, preserving protections for roughly 350,000 Haitian nationals.
Overview
U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes issued an 83-page opinion on Feb. 2, 2026, and granted a nationwide stay that she wrote makes the termination "null, void, and of no legal effect" while the plaintiffs' suit proceeds, according to court documents.
The stay blocks a termination that was set to take effect at 11:59 p.m. Feb. 3, 2026, and matters because it preserves work and removal protections for roughly 350,000 Haitian TPS holders, with about 15,000 residing in Springfield, Ohio, community leaders said.
Reyes wrote that plaintiffs are "substantially likely" to prevail and found Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem likely preordained the decision because of "hostility to nonwhite immigrants," a finding the Department of Homeland Security disputed and Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin called "lawless activism" on X.
The TPS designation for Haiti dates to the 2010 earthquake and covers roughly 350,000 people, and the administration has moved to end protections affecting about 600,000 Venezuelans, 60,000 people from Honduras, Nicaragua and Nepal, and more than 160,000 Ukrainians, DHS filings show.
The Department of Homeland Security said it will appeal and "Supreme Court, here we come," McLaughlin posted on X, while plaintiffs' lawyers Geoff Pipoly and Andrew Tauber said they will continue litigation and awaited further appellate rulings that will determine the duration of the stay.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story around human impact and judicial rebuke, leading with TPS holders’ fears and quoting Judge Reyes’ strong language about “racial animus.” Editorial choices privilege plaintiffs’ voices, provide detailed context on Trump’s past remarks, and present DHS rebuttals briefly — cumulatively emphasizing humanitarian consequences and legal critique over administration rationale.
Sources (16)
FAQ
TPS is a temporary immigration status provided to eligible nationals of designated countries facing conditions such as armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary circumstances that prevent safe return, granting work authorization and protection from deportation.
Haiti's TPS was first designated on January 21, 2010, following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that killed over 200,000 people and displaced millions, and has been extended due to subsequent hurricanes, political instability, and violence.
Judge Reyes issued an 83-page order on February 2, 2026, granting a nationwide stay that renders the TPS termination null, void, and of no legal effect while the lawsuit proceeds, finding plaintiffs substantially likely to prevail and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's decision preordained due to hostility toward nonwhite immigrants.
The ruling preserves TPS protections for roughly 350,000 Haitian nationals in the US, including about 15,000 in Springfield, Ohio.
The Department of Homeland Security disputes the ruling, calls it lawless activism, plans to appeal, and Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin stated Supreme Court, here we come on X.
History
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