A federal judge in California has issued an injunction against the Trump administration's efforts to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for individuals from Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson, appointed by President Biden, ruled that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), under Secretary Kristi Noem, acted with "racial and discriminatory animus" in their decision to end protections that have been in place for decades.
The ruling, which came to light on August 1, 2025, prevents the deportation of approximately 53,000 Hondurans, 3,000 Nicaraguans, and 7,500 Nepalese, who were set to lose their protected status starting in early September. Instead, their stay in the United States has been extended until at least November 18, with the possibility of further extensions after subsequent court hearings.
Judge Thompson's decision heavily references public remarks made by President Trump and Secretary Noem, suggesting that their comments perpetuated discriminatory beliefs against immigrants. Specifically, the judge pointed to a statement made by Trump in 2023, where he referred to criminal illegal aliens as "poisoning the blood of our country." She equated these sentiments to "The Great Replacement Theory," a controversial concept that has been widely criticized for its racial undertones.
In her ruling, Thompson criticized the DHS for its narrow focus on the recovery from past natural disasters in the countries in question when evaluating the termination of TPS. She noted that the DHS failed to consider ongoing issues such as political violence, crime, and humanitarian conditions. For Honduras, the judge remarked that the DHS assessment omitted the nation's political violence and crime. Regarding Nicaragua, she highlighted the lack of attention to anti-democratic human rights violations and the resulting humanitarian crisis. As for Nepal, Thompson pointed to continued environmental disasters, such as flooding and landslides, which were downplayed by the DHS.
This legal challenge is not the first time a federal judge has stepped in to block Trump administration policies related to TPS. Previously, Judge Edward Chen halted an attempt to end protections for 350,000 Venezuelans, labeling the policy as "a classic example of racism." However, the Supreme Court has previously sided with the Trump administration in multiple rulings on TPS, upholding the authority to end the program for migrants from countries including Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Under the previous administration of President Biden, TPS designations were consistently renewed, with Biden extending TPS for migrants from Venezuela, El Salvador, Ukraine, and Sudan through the fall of 2026. This move was seen by some as an attempt to protect these migrants from potential policy reversals should Trump be re-elected.
The recent ruling by Judge Thompson underscores the ongoing debate around immigration policy and the legal protections afforded to migrants under TPS. The extension of TPS for these groups allows them to continue living and working in the U.S. without fear of deportation, at least for the time being.
