Judge Blocks Trump Admin Move to Strip Thousands of Immigrants of Work Permits

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from revoking work permits held by tens of thousands of asylum seekers and immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States.

US District Judge Nathaniel Gorton in Boston ruled in favour of a coalition of immigrant rights groups and labour unions that challenged the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policies implementing new immigration restrictions approved by Congress last year.

The judge’s order will remain in effect until he decides whether to issue a longer-term suspension of the administration’s policy. Gorton said he would rule on that issue by August 5. USCIS did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The restrictions stem from President Donald Trump’s signature tax and spending law, passed by the Republican-led Congress in July 2025. The legislation introduced fees for asylum applications and imposed new limits on employment authorisation for people holding TPS.

TPS allows migrants from countries affected by war, natural disasters or other extraordinary conditions to legally live and work in the US while it remains unsafe for them to return home.

As part of Trump’s broader immigration crackdown, his administration has sought to end TPS protections for nationals from more than a dozen countries. The US Supreme Court last month allowed the administration to proceed with ending TPS for thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants.

The lawsuit, filed by the liberal legal group Democracy Forward on behalf of immigrant advocates and labour organisations, argued that USCIS had unlawfully implemented the new restrictions and that the policies should be suspended.

The plaintiffs specifically challenged measures that could result in thousands of TPS holders from El Salvador, Sudan and Ukraine losing their work authorisation. They argued that USCIS had improperly shortened employment permits by applying the new restrictions retroactively.

Skye Perryman, president and chief executive officer of Democracy Forward, said the ruling would ensure that thousands of families would not lose their livelihoods while courts examine whether the administration’s actions are lawful.

The previous Biden administration extended TPS protections for nationals of El Salvador, Sudan and Ukraine in January 2025. TPS remains in effect for El Salvador until September 9, and for Sudan and Ukraine until October 19.

The plaintiffs argued that USCIS violated the Administrative Procedure Act by introducing the new policies without public notice and an opportunity for comment. They also claimed the agency had unlawfully applied the 2025 law’s employment restrictions retroactively without clear authority from Congress.

Judge Gorton declined to immediately block USCIS from collecting the newly introduced fees. However, he ruled that the agency cannot revoke work permits or impose penalties on individuals who fail to pay the fees while the legal challenge continues.

The case was filed in Boston, a jurisdiction frequently chosen by groups challenging Trump administration policies. It was assigned to Judge Gorton, one of the few judges on the court who was not appointed by a Democratic president. Gorton was appointed by Republican President George H.W. Bush.

 
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