A federal appeals court has ruled that the Trump administration can end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 60,000 immigrants from Central America and Nepal. The decision allows the government to strip deportation protections and cancel work permits, despite earlier rulings that questioned the administration’s motives in targeting the program.
Appeals Court Decision Opens the Door
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued an order clearing the way for the Trump administration to terminate deportation protections under the Temporary Protected Status program.
This ruling has a direct impact on more than 60,000 Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Nepali immigrants who have been living in the United States for decades.
The three-judge bench did not provide detailed reasons for its decision. As such, legal analysts expressed concern about the lack of transparency.
By stripping TPS protections, the ruling permits the Department of Homeland Security to revoke work permits and expose thousands of families to deportation as the litigation continues.
Immediate Impact on Nepal, Upcoming Expirations for Others
The order immediately affects Nepali immigrants, whose protections under TPS expired on August 5. For Honduran and Nicaraguan immigrants, the protections are scheduled to expire on September 8, giving families little time to prepare for the potential consequences of losing legal status and employment authorization.
DHS Frames Ruling as Restoring System Integrity
Following the court’s decision, the Department of Homeland Security described the ruling as a corrective measure that reinforced the original intent of the TPS program.
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said the program had been stretched beyond its intended purpose, functioning as a “de facto asylum system” instead of a temporary humanitarian measure.
For thousands of immigrants, the decision has caused an abrupt shift from security to vulnerability.
Legal Advocates Condemn the Decision
Immigrant rights advocates expressed deep concern about the court’s ruling, calling it a setback for humanitarian protections. Ahilan Arulanantham of the UCLA Center for Immigration Law and Policy, one of the attorneys representing TPS holders, criticized the decision for failing to include legal reasoning, arguing that it grants unchecked authority to the executive branch.
Advocates emphasized that many TPS recipients have lived in the U.S. for years and raised children who are American citizens. They argue that mandating families to return to nations plagued by instability and economic hardship would be dangerous and destabilizing. It would also undermine longstanding humanitarian principles in immigration policy.
Earlier Block by District Court Judge
This appeals court decision comes after U.S. District Judge Trina L. Thompson temporarily blocked the administration’s effort in July. In her sharply worded ruling, Judge Thompson found evidence that the administration’s push to cancel TPS protections may have been motivated by racial animus, raising serious constitutional questions about the policy.
Her decision provided temporary relief to TPS holders while legal challenges proceeded. However, the Ninth Circuit’s reversal has shifted momentum back in favor of the administration, intensifying the uncertainty facing immigrant communities.
Effective End of Protections
Even as lawsuits keep coming, the appeals court decision has effectively set the stage for the Trump administration to proceed with a TPS termination. With deadlines looming in September for Central American recipients, the decision has accelerated the clock for thousands of families now forced to weigh uncertain futures.
Further appeals or action by the Supreme Court may determine the outcome. However, at this point, the ruling holds immigrant families in limbo. The revocation of TPS for Nicaraguans, Hondurans, and Nepalis is a turning point in U.S. immigration policy and raises urgent questions regarding the limits of humanitarian relief.
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Resources:
- https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-can-end-deportation-protections-60000-immigrants-appeals-court-says-2025-08-21/
- https://tribuneonlineng.com/us-trump-can-end-deportation-protections-cancel-work-permits-for-60000-immigrants-court/
- https://www.npr.org/2025/08/21/nx-s1-5509433/appeals-court-allows-protected-status-migrants
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/20/appeals-court-trump-temporary-protected-status
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