BOSTON — A U.S. judge in Massachusetts on Friday temporarily paused the planned termination of Temporary Protected Status for some Somali immigrants, with the order aimed at preventing Somalia’s TPS designation from expiring on Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs said allowing the designation to lapse would have “weighty” consequences, according to the court ruling. Advocates had asked for emergency relief in federal court after the Trump administration promised last month to end the TPS designation during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, where many Somalis live.
In its ruling, the court said “Over one thousand people will face ‘a myriad of grave risks,’ including detention and deportation, physical violence if removed to Somalia, and forced separation from family members.” The judge said an administrative stay and deferring a decision on the postponement would give both sides time to file briefs on the emergency motion.
The court wrote that “While the stay is in effect, the termination shall be null, void, and of no legal effect.” It added that people with TPS status or pending TPS applications would retain rights including eligibility for work authorization and protection against deportation and detention while the stay remains in place.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security issued a statement saying the ruling was the latest example of preventing the administration from “restoring integrity” to the U.S. immigration system. The agency 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.
DHS also said allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to national interests, adding that the Trump administration is putting Americans first. The statement framed the court’s decision within the broader effort to end the designation.
Representatives of the plaintiffs challenging the termination said they were “heartened by the interim protection today’s order affords all Somali people in the U.S. who have TPS or pending TPS applications.” They said that even though the order is temporary, “many battles lie ahead,” indicating further legal proceedings are expected as the emergency motion moves forward.