A U.S. court decision in Massachusetts temporarily halted the Trump administration’s push to end Temporary Protected Status for Somali nationals, delaying immigration enforcement action while the parties litigate an emergency motion. U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs issued the ruling Friday, setting an administrative stay as the case moved forward.
The decision centered on a looming Tuesday expiration date for Somalia’s TPS designation, with Burroughs warning that allowing the termination to proceed would carry “weighty” consequences. The court said advocates had sought the emergency pause after the Trump administration promised to end the TPS designation last month as part of an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, where many Somalis live.
In the ruling, Burroughs described the stakes of removing people who have TPS status or pending applications. The court said that over one thousand people would face “a myriad of grave risks,” including detention and deportation, physical violence if removed to Somalia, and forced separation from family members.
Burroughs said the stay would give both sides time to file briefs on the emergency motion. The judge also addressed the legal effect of the pause, writing that “While the stay is in effect, the termination shall be null, void, and of no legal effect,” and noting that TPS holders and those with pending applications would retain rights including eligibility for work authorization and protection against deportation and detention.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the ruling reflects efforts to prevent the administration from restoring what it described as “integrity” in the U.S. immigration system. DHS said “Temporary means temporary,” and argued that country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law’s requirement for TPS.
The department added that allowing Somali nationals to remain in the United States is contrary to national interests and said the Trump administration is “putting Americans first.” The plaintiffs challenging the termination responded that while the order is temporary and “many battles lie ahead,” they were “heartened” by the interim protections the judge’s decision provides for Somali people with TPS or pending TPS applications.
As the case continues, the court’s stay preserves the legal status quo for people affected by the planned termination, at least until Burroughs decides whether to grant or deny the emergency request based on the arguments submitted by both sides.