US court clears path for deportations as Trump pushes to end protections for thousands
Appeals ruling allows removals of Honduran, Nepalese and Nicaraguan migrants while legal fight continues.
A US appeals court has opened the door for deportations of tens of thousands of migrants from Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua, backing a key move by the Trump administration to roll back long-standing humanitarian protections.
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Monday that the government can proceed with deportations while it appeals a lower court decision that had blocked the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for the three nationalities.
The order temporarily stays a federal judge’s ruling that had vacated the administration’s decision to end the programme.
TPS allows migrants from countries facing war, natural disasters or extraordinary conditions to live and work legally in the United States.
The protections cover more than 51,000 Hondurans and around 3,000 Nicaraguans who arrived after Hurricane Mitch devastated Central America in 1998, as well as roughly 7,000 Nepalese who were granted the status following the 2015 earthquake.
‘TPS was never designed to be permanent’
The Trump administration moved last year to revoke TPS, arguing that conditions in the affected countries had improved enough to allow safe returns.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem reiterated that stance on Monday, saying TPS “was never designed to be permanent.”
Historically, US presidents have routinely renewed TPS designations, allowing beneficiaries to remain for decades.
Trump, however, has vowed to pursue a sweeping deportation campaign, making the rollback of temporary protections a cornerstone of his immigration agenda.
Advocates warn the appeals court decision could leave thousands vulnerable to removal before the legal battle is resolved, while the administration insists the ruling restores executive authority over immigration policy.