The Trump administration's effort to strip hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan and Haitian migrants of legal protections is unlawful, a US judge says.
The ruling by District Judge Edward Chen sets aside the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) attempt to end temporary protected status (TPS) for people from countries experiencing conditions that make it dangerous to return.
It will allow around 600,000 Venezuelans and 500,000 Haitians to continue living and working legally in the US. The DHS has indicated it will appeal the decision.
The TPS program was established by Congress in 1990 to give temporary protections for migrants from countries experiencing war and natural disasters.
In a 69-page decision, Judge Chen wrote that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's action in revoking their protected status was not only unprecedented in the manner and speed in which it was taken but also violates the law.
He said conditions in their home countries were so dangerous that even the State Department advises against travel.
In response to the ruling, a DHS spokesperson told the BBC the scheme had been abused, exploited, and politicised as a de facto amnesty program, while indicating it would assess its legal options.
There are about 600,000 migrants who have TPS from Venezuela, the largest group in the program. Former President Joe Biden extended the program to also include Haiti, Afghanistan, Cameroon, and Ukraine.
President Donald Trump attempted to reverse this extension and terminate the designation for Venezuela following his return to office.
The National TPS Alliance and Venezuelan TPS holders filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, arguing that Noem did not have the authority to roll back the extension granted by the previous administration.
Judge Chen's ruling serves as a significant legal barrier against the ongoing efforts to dismantle protections for these vulnerable communities amidst escalating challenges in their home countries.
