02/03/2026
In a late-night ruling that provides immediate relief to hundreds of thousands of Haitian nationals, U.S. District Judge Ana C. Reyes of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti, which was set to expire at 11:59 p.m. on February 3, 2026.
The decision came in the class-action lawsuit Miot v. Trump, where plaintiffs challenged the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) November 2025 termination notice issued by Secretary Kristi Noem. The notice had argued that conditions in Haiti had improved sufficiently and that continued TPS was contrary to U.S. national interests.
Judge Reyes granted the plaintiffs' motion for a stay, ruling that the attempted termination is "null, void, and of no legal effect" during the pendency of the litigation. The order explicitly states that the decision will not impact the validity of work authorizations (Employment Authorization Documents, or EADs) for TPS beneficiaries. Those holding TPS status remain protected from detention and deportation for the duration of the judicial stay.
In an accompanying 83-page opinion, Reyes found that plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits, concluding that Secretary Noem's termination decision was arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act. She criticized the DHS for failing to adequately address ongoing crises in Haiti, including rampant gang violence, the displacement of over 1.4 million people, economic collapse, and the absence of a functioning government, while suggesting the decision may have been influenced by improper considerations, including potential racial animus toward nonwhite immigrants.
The Trump administration is expected to appeal the decision, potentially escalating the case to higher courts or the Supreme Court. For now, USCIS and DHS websites may still display termination alerts, but the court order supersedes those, keeping TPS benefits intact pending further litigation.
