A federal district court in San Francisco issued a nationwide injunction on December 31, 2025, preventing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for roughly 89,000 nationals of Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua.
Judge Trina Thompson found credible evidence that the terminations were tainted by discriminatory animus, citing public statements by former President Donald Trump and current Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that portrayed immigrants from the affected countries in a negative, racialized light. The ruling also concluded that DHS failed to adequately assess country-conditions—ranging from post-hurricane devastation in Honduras to political instability in Nicaragua—before deciding that it was safe for beneficiaries to return.
![U.S. Judge Blocks Termination of TPS for Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua]()
The injunction restores work authorization and protection from removal for thousands of TPS holders—many of whom have lived in the United States for more than two decades and are employed in essential industries such as health care, construction and food services. Employers with large Central-American workforces avoid major turnover at the start of 2026, while HR teams should verify that Automatic Employment Authorization Document (EAD) extensions are correctly entered in Form I-9 systems.
Practically, the ruling creates divergent outcomes among TPS populations. The Supreme Court allowed the administration to end Venezuelan TPS earlier this month, so litigation strategy and political context continue to determine which groups are protected. Multinational companies with mixed-nationality labor forces must monitor case-by-case developments and budget for compliance advice. The Biden-era TPS redesignation policy, which many businesses had relied on to stabilize workforces, will remain uncertain going into the election year.
Although the government is expected to appeal, the injunction will likely remain in effect for months, giving employers and affected employees breathing room to renew EADs and explore longer-term immigration strategies such as family- or employment-based sponsorship.
Judge Trina Thompson found credible evidence that the terminations were tainted by discriminatory animus, citing public statements by former President Donald Trump and current Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem that portrayed immigrants from the affected countries in a negative, racialized light. The ruling also concluded that DHS failed to adequately assess country-conditions—ranging from post-hurricane devastation in Honduras to political instability in Nicaragua—before deciding that it was safe for beneficiaries to return.
The injunction restores work authorization and protection from removal for thousands of TPS holders—many of whom have lived in the United States for more than two decades and are employed in essential industries such as health care, construction and food services. Employers with large Central-American workforces avoid major turnover at the start of 2026, while HR teams should verify that Automatic Employment Authorization Document (EAD) extensions are correctly entered in Form I-9 systems.
Practically, the ruling creates divergent outcomes among TPS populations. The Supreme Court allowed the administration to end Venezuelan TPS earlier this month, so litigation strategy and political context continue to determine which groups are protected. Multinational companies with mixed-nationality labor forces must monitor case-by-case developments and budget for compliance advice. The Biden-era TPS redesignation policy, which many businesses had relied on to stabilize workforces, will remain uncertain going into the election year.
Although the government is expected to appeal, the injunction will likely remain in effect for months, giving employers and affected employees breathing room to renew EADs and explore longer-term immigration strategies such as family- or employment-based sponsorship.
Source: Reuters
