Appeals Court Blocks Trump Administration's Efforts to End Temporary Protected Status for Haitians

The ruling maintains protections for around 350,000 Haitians living in the U.S.

Published on Mar. 7, 2026

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A federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. issued a 2-1 ruling this week siding with a lower court's decision against the Trump administration's efforts to end temporary protected status (TPS) for approximately 350,000 Haitians living in the United States. The court stated that the government failed to demonstrate irreparable harm, justifying the denial of emergency relief that would have ended the TPS program for Haitian immigrants.

Why it matters

This ruling is a significant setback for the Trump administration's wider efforts to roll back TPS protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from various countries. The decision maintains a legal pathway for Haitians to live and work in the U.S. amid ongoing political instability and gang violence in their home country.

The details

Temporary Protected Status can be granted by the Homeland Security secretary if conditions in a person's home country are deemed unsafe for return due to natural disasters, political instability or other dangers. While TPS grants recipients the right to live and work in the U.S., it does not provide a path to citizenship. Haiti's TPS status was initially activated in 2010 after a catastrophic earthquake and has been extended multiple times. The Trump administration has aggressively sought to remove the protection, making more people eligible for deportation.

  • The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C. issued the 2-1 ruling on Friday, March 6, 2026.
  • Haiti's TPS status was initially activated in 2010 after a catastrophic earthquake.

The players

Trump Administration

The former presidential administration that sought to end temporary protected status for Haitian immigrants living in the U.S.

U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C.

The federal appeals court that issued the 2-1 ruling against the Trump administration's efforts to end TPS for Haitians.

Homeland Security Department

The U.S. government agency responsible for granting and terminating temporary protected status for immigrants.

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What’s next

The Homeland Security Department may choose to appeal the appeals court's ruling to the Supreme Court.

The takeaway

This decision represents a major setback for the Trump administration's broader efforts to roll back temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of immigrants, maintaining a legal pathway for Haitians to remain in the U.S. amid ongoing instability in their home country.