Judge Clears Path for Trump to End TPS Protections for Thousands of Somalis
WASHINGTON — August 15, 2026 — President Donald Trump’s administration has secured a significant legal victory in its immigration enforcement campaign after a federal judge cleared the way for the government to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Somali nationals living in the United States.
U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs, an appointee of former President Barack Obama, lifted a stay that had temporarily prevented the Department of Homeland Security from ending Somalia’s TPS designation. Her decision came after the Supreme Court issued a ruling in June that sharply restricted federal courts’ ability to review certain decisions by the administration to terminate TPS protections.
The ruling does not automatically mean that every Somali national with TPS will be deported. Instead, it removes a major legal obstacle that had prevented the Trump administration from moving forward with the termination. Those who do not have another lawful basis to remain in the country could ultimately face removal proceedings.
What is Temporary Protected Status?
Temporary Protected Status is a federal immigration program that allows eligible nationals of designated countries to remain temporarily in the United States when conditions in their home countries make returning unsafe.
TPS can provide protection from deportation and authorization to work in the United States. However, the status is temporary and can be terminated by the federal government when officials determine that the circumstances supporting the designation no longer justify its continuation.
The Trump administration announced in January that it intended to terminate Somalia’s TPS designation, with former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem arguing that conditions had improved sufficiently to end the protection.
According to figures previously provided to Fox News Digital by sources at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, about 2,471 Somali nationals currently have TPS, while another 1,383 have pending TPS applications.
Obama-appointed judge had previously blocked the move
The case has attracted particular attention because Judge Burroughs was appointed by Obama.
Burroughs had previously prevented the termination from taking effect after four Somali nationals and two advocacy organizations, including African Communities Together, challenged the administration’s decision.
The plaintiffs argued that the government’s decision violated constitutional protections and alleged that the termination was motivated by discrimination based on race and national origin. They pointed to statements Trump had previously made about Somali immigrants as part of their argument.
Earlier this month, Burroughs issued another temporary administrative stay after the plaintiffs presented new constitutional claims under the Fifth Amendment.
But the legal landscape changed following the Supreme Court’s June decision concerning the administration’s authority to terminate TPS designations.
Supreme Court ruling changes the legal battle
The Supreme Court ruled in Mullin v. Doe that the TPS statute limits judicial review of certain non-constitutional decisions involving the termination of TPS designations.
The decision significantly reduced the ability of lower federal courts to intervene in the administration’s decisions to end TPS for foreign nationals from designated countries.
That ruling became central to Burroughs’ latest decision.
Although the judge said the plaintiffs had presented a strong case concerning potential harm, she concluded that the Supreme Court’s ruling constrained her ability to continue blocking the administration.
Burroughs wrote that she was effectively required to view the case through the framework established by the Supreme Court’s decision.
Judge acknowledged potential harm
The ruling was notable because Burroughs did not simply reject the plaintiffs’ concerns.
According to Fox News’ account of the decision, the judge found that the plaintiffs had made a convincing argument that they could suffer irreparable harm if an injunction was not maintained. She also said the balance of hardships and the public interest favored the plaintiffs in some respects.
Nevertheless, the judge concluded that the Supreme Court precedent prevented her from continuing the stay.
That distinction is important: the decision was primarily about the court’s authority to intervene, rather than a blanket declaration that every government action surrounding Somalia’s TPS designation was constitutionally valid.
What happens next?
With the stay lifted, the Department of Homeland Security can proceed with the process of ending Somalia’s TPS designation.
For Somali nationals whose only legal protection is TPS, the change could eventually have serious consequences.
Once their protected status ends, individuals without another valid immigration status could become subject to immigration enforcement and possible removal from the United States.
However, the process is not necessarily immediate. Individuals may have other immigration options or pending applications that could affect their individual circumstances.
The ruling therefore represents a major policy step for the Trump administration, but the legal and administrative consequences for individual Somali nationals will depend on their particular immigration situations.
Part of a broader immigration crackdown
The Somalia decision comes as the Trump administration continues an aggressive effort to reduce temporary immigration protections and expand enforcement authority.
The administration has also pursued the termination of TPS protections affecting nationals from other countries. The Supreme Court’s June ruling has made it more difficult for lower courts to block certain TPS termination decisions.
The administration views the changes as part of a broader effort to restore what it considers stricter immigration enforcement and to prevent temporary programs from becoming long-term pathways for remaining in the United States.
Immigration advocates, meanwhile, argue that terminating TPS can place vulnerable people at risk, particularly when conditions in their home countries remain unstable.
A significant win for Trump
The latest ruling gives Trump’s administration a major advantage in its effort to dismantle Somalia’s TPS designation.
Perhaps most significantly, the decision demonstrates the impact of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on lower-court challenges to the administration’s immigration policies.
For now, the government has a clearer path to end TPS protections for thousands of Somali nationals.
The legal fight may not be completely over, particularly because the plaintiffs have raised constitutional arguments that could generate additional litigation. But Friday’s ruling removes an important obstacle and represents a substantial victory for the Trump administration’s immigration agenda.
The bottom line: The judge’s decision does not itself order thousands of Somalis to leave the United States. Instead, it allows the Trump administration to proceed with ending their TPS protections, after the Supreme Court narrowed the ability of lower courts to block such executive decisions.
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