A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing a policy that would have stripped work authorization from tens of thousands of immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and certain asylum seekers, marking the latest legal setback for the administration’s immigration agenda.
In a ruling issued by the U.S. District Court in Boston, Judge Nathaniel Gorton granted a temporary injunction preventing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) from revoking employment authorization for affected immigrants while the legal challenge proceeds. The judge found that the plaintiffs could suffer severe and irreparable harm if the policy were allowed to take effect before the court fully considers the case.
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The lawsuit, filed by immigrant advocacy organizations and labor unions, challenges provisions of a recently enacted immigration law that would require certain asylum seekers to pay new application fees and could terminate work permits for some TPS recipients who fail to meet the new requirements. The plaintiffs argue that the administration unlawfully applied the changes retroactively without following the public notice and comment process required under the Administrative Procedure Act.
Judge Gorton agreed, at least for now, that the administration had likely exceeded its authority by implementing portions of the policy without proper rulemaking. While the court allowed the government to continue collecting the newly established fees, it barred USCIS from revoking existing work permits or penalizing eligible applicants who are unable to pay while the case remains before the court.
The ruling provides temporary relief for thousands of immigrants who rely on their work permits to support themselves and their families. Those protected by the injunction include eligible TPS beneficiaries and asylum seekers who faced losing their legal authorization to work under the new policy. Judge Gorton is expected to determine in early August whether the injunction should remain in place while the lawsuit continues.
The decision is one of several recent court rulings scrutinizing the Trump administration’s immigration policies, underscoring the continuing legal battles over executive authority and immigration enforcement. For now, affected immigrants may continue working legally under their existing employment authorization as the case moves through the federal court system.
