SPRINGFIELD — A federal judge on Monday blocked the Trump administration from ending temporary protections that have allowed roughly 350,000 Haitians to live and work in the U.S.
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As reported on News Center 7 at 11:00, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington, D.C. granted a pause on the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians while a lawsuit challenging it proceeds.
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TPS for Haitians in the United States was scheduled to end on Feb. 3.
As previously reported by News Center 7, there are an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Haitian immigrants in Springfield.
Springfield Mayor Rob Rue provided a statement to News Center 7 on the ruling Monday evening.
“This ruling provides clarity and stability for families who are already part of our community. It reflects the reality that many individuals are working, paying taxes, raising families and contributing every day to the life of our City. Maintaining that stability matters because unnecessary disruption creates uncertainty that serves no one. We respect the judicial process and remain committed to the well-being of the people who call our city home.”
— Rue said.
As previously reported by News Center 7, Springfield City Schools Superintendent said he learned in a meeting with state leaders that there may be a federal enforcement operation in the city starting Wednesday.
Rue said the city has not been made aware of any confirmed ICE activity happening in the city.
Senator Bernie Moreno posted a comment on the move to block the termination on Monday night.
“When a Democrat president can create a TEMPORARY program and an unelected Democrat judge can unilaterally block a duly-elected Republican president from ever undoing it, we do not live in a democracy.
It’s not Permanent Protected Status. This outrageous decision cannot stand."
— Moreno wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter
The Homeland Security secretary can grant this status if conditions in home countries are deemed unsafe for return due to a natural disaster, political instability, or other dangers.
TPS for Haitians was initially granted more than a decade ago due to a catastrophic earthquake and gang violence. It has been extended multiple times.
While it grants TPS holders the right to live and work in the U.S., it does not provide a legal pathway to citizenship.
As previously reported by News Center 7, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the decision to end TPS for Haitians at the end of November.
Judge Reyes said in an accompanying 83-page opinion that the Trump administration’s decision to end this program might have been unfair.
“During the stay, the Termination shall be null, void, and of no legal effect,” the judge said in her two-page order, adding that for now, the termination has no bearing on their ability to work and to be protected from detention and deportation.
Attorneys for Haitian TPS holders said in a court filing in December that the decision to end the country’s status was motivated by racial animus.
They added that Noem failed to consider whether there was an ongoing armed conflict that would pose a “serious threat” to personal safety, as required by law.
“If the termination stands, people will almost certainly die,” the attorneys wrote. “Some will likely be killed, others will likely die from disease, and yet others will likely starve to death.”
The Department of Homeland Security said conditions in Haiti had improved.
In a court filing in December, attorneys for the administration said the plaintiffs’ claims of racial animus were based on statements “taken out of context, often from other speakers and from years ago, and without direct links to the Secretary’s determinations.”
A spokesperson with DHS said their next step is to ask the Supreme Court to intervene in this case.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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