A federal judge in Massachusetts has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s effort to end deportation protections for immigrants from Somalia, just days before the program was set to expire.
U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs issued the emergency ruling on Friday, stating that allowing Somalia’s Temporary Protected Status designation to end on Tuesday would have “weighty” consequences. Immigration advocates had rushed to court seeking the emergency halt after the Trump administration announced plans last month to terminate the program during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, home to a large Somali community.
The judge’s decision highlighted the serious risks facing affected individuals, stating that “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.”
Burroughs explained that issuing an administrative stay while postponing a final decision allows both legal teams time to submit detailed arguments on the emergency request.
“While the stay is in effect, the termination shall be null, void, and of no legal effect,” the court order stated, emphasizing that individuals with TPS status or pending applications will continue to have access to work permits and protection from deportation and detention.
The Department of Homeland Security responded with criticism of the ruling, calling it another instance of a judge appointed by former President Barack Obama blocking Trump from “restoring integrity” to America’s immigration system.
“Temporary means temporary,” the department’s statement declared. “Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law’s requirement for Temporary Protected Status. Allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interests. The Trump administration is putting Americans first.”
Legal representatives for those challenging the termination expressed cautious optimism about the temporary victory. In their statement, they acknowledged that while the order is temporary and “many battles lie ahead,” they are “heartened by the interim protection today’s order affords all Somali people in the U.S. who have TPS or pending TPS applications.”
