Federal Judge Issues Temporary Stay Against Trump Administration’s Plan to Terminate Immigrant Work Permits

The judicial injunction prevents migrants from El Salvador, Sudan, and Ukraine from losing their employment authorization during the ongoing litigation.

Published On 21 Jul 202621 Jul 2026

A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction against the Trump administration, preventing the revocation of work permits for tens of thousands of asylum seekers and immigrants under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The ruling halts a policy implementation that was scheduled to begin this Wednesday.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton ruled in favor of immigrant rights advocates and labor unions challenging several new U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policies stemming from recent congressional immigration restrictions.

In a five-page order, Judge Gorton noted, “The consequences faced by plaintiffs are potentially severe.” This temporary stay will remain in effect while the court determines whether to grant a permanent injunction, with a ruling anticipated by August 5.

The litigation, spearheaded by a coalition of organizations represented by Democracy Forward, contests several recent USCIS policy shifts. These include a new mandate allowing the agency to reject pending asylum applications or terminate work permits for individuals who fail to pay a newly established annual asylum fee. The lawsuit also challenges the removal of a long-standing rule that required initial asylum work permit applications to be processed within 30 days. Plaintiffs argue that USCIS implemented these changes without the legally required public comment period.

Additionally, the lawsuit contests the retroactive application of these rules to individuals from El Salvador, Sudan, and Ukraine currently protected by TPS. This status allows residents from countries devastated by war, natural disasters, or other crises to live and work legally in the U.S. until their home nations are deemed safe for return.

“This decision protects thousands of asylum seekers and TPS holders from immediate and irreparable harm while this case moves forward,” stated Skye Perryman, president of Democracy Forward. “Without this relief, families who have complied with the law and relied on established humanitarian protections would have faced the sudden loss of their ability to support themselves through no fault of their own.”

The ruling ensures that thousands of TPS holders from El Salvador, Sudan, and Ukraine can maintain their employment throughout the legal proceedings.

While Tuesday’s ruling did not prohibit the collection of the asylum fee, it did block the punitive measures associated with non-payment, such as application rejections or the termination of work authorizations.

These controversial measures were introduced as part of the administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” a tax and spending law passed by the Republican-led Congress in July 2025.

Terminating TPS protections has been a cornerstone of the Trump administration’s immigration policy, targeting protections for individuals from over a dozen nations. Previously, the U.S. Supreme Court permitted the administration to end protections for thousands of immigrants from Haiti and Syria.

USCIS has not yet provided a comment regarding this development.

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