A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration can proceed with terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals living in the United States. U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston lifted a stay that had previously blocked the Department of Homeland Security from ending TPS for Somalia, referencing a June Supreme Court ruling that limited judicial review of such administrative actions. This decision may lead to deportation for those affected who do not have another legal basis to remain in the U.S.
The Trump administration announced plans to terminate TPS for Somalia in January, citing improvements in conditions in the country. The Supreme Court's ruling in Mullin v. Doe established that the TPS statute restricts judicial review of certain administrative decisions regarding TPS designations. Plaintiffs challenging the termination have argued that the decision was influenced by bias against non-White immigrants, referencing derogatory comments made by Trump about Somalis. Despite acknowledging the plaintiffs' concerns, Judge Burroughs stated that the Supreme Court's decision limited her ability to block the termination of TPS for Somalia.
Currently, there are approximately 2,471 Somali nationals in the U.S. with TPS, and an additional 1,383 have pending applications for TPS.