Federal Court Orders Trump Administration to Delay Termination of TPS for Syria
Order Protects Thousands of U.S. Residents from Trump Admin Effort to Strip Legal Status
(New York, NY) – Today, a federal court ordered the Trump administration to delay its termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Syria while the legal case challenging the decision moves forward. The judge issued a verbal order, and a written version is forthcoming. Last month, the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP), Muslim Advocates, and Van Der Hout LLP sued the Trump administration for unlawfully terminating TPS on behalf of a class of Syrian TPS holders and applicants who have lived in the United States for years.
Without today’s court intervention, this Friday, November 21, more than 6,100 Syrians would have lost their legal status and work authorization and potentially been forced to return to Syria – a country still reeling from nearly 14 years of civil war and ongoing armed conflict.
“We welcome the court’s decision to grant the emergency postponement,” said Farrah AlKhorfan, co-founder of Immigrants Act Now. “This relief allows Syrian TPS holders to remain here legally, keep working, and maintain the stability they have built. It also recognizes the harm they would face if forced to return to Syria prematurely. Today’s decision gives Syrian families a chance to continue their lives safely while the case moves forward.”
“The court recognized the immense harm Syrian TPS holders would suffer if the government’s plan to illegally terminate their status was allowed to take effect this week,” said Lupe Aguirre, Senior Litigation Attorney at IRAP. “Thousands of people who have built their lives here–students, elderly people, parents, doctors, teachers, and other professionals–would have lost their ability to live and work with authorization in the United States in just two days. This would have had devastating repercussions on their lives, the lives of their loved ones, and on their communities. The administration’s ongoing war on TPS is rooted in bias, not facts, and we will continue to fight this unlawful termination in court.”
“With little to no notice, this administration has played with human lives in its attempts to unlawfully terminate TPS for Syrian nationals who have been living in fear of being forcibly deported to a dire humanitarian crisis in a matter of days,” said Sadaf Hasan, Staff Attorney at Muslim Advocates.“Today’s ruling is a win against the government’s broader racist and anti-immigrant agenda to eliminate access o TPS for countless other non-white immigrant communities who are part of this country’s fabric. While the halt provides impacted TPS holders a brief exhale, our work continues to ensure their rights and the rule of law are upheld.”
“Today’s order halts the plainly unlawful decision to terminate Syria’s TPS designation and aligns with a chorus of other courts that have similarly refused to be complicit in the administration’s efforts to make America white again,” said Johnny Sinodis, Partner at Van Der Hout LLP. “Congress delineated a very clear procedure that DHS must follow when evaluating whether to extend or end TPS for any country, and this Court has reminded the administration of its obligation to follow the law.”
Read the motion for emergency relief: HERE
Read the press release announcing the lawsuit: HERE
Learn more about the case: HERE
New Lawsuit Challenges the Trump Administration’s Termination of TPS for Syria
Without Court Intervention, Thousands Could be Forcibly Deported to a Humanitarian Crisis in Syria
Read the complaint: HERE
Press release: HERE
“The decision to end TPS for Syrians comes far too soon, Syria remains deeply unstable, with cities destroyed, infrastructure in ruins, and parts of the country still under armed conflict,” said Farrah AlKhorfan, co-founder of Immigrants Act Now.
“Many Syrians on TPS have U.S. born children, own homes, and run businesses—they have built their lives here. The termination notice was issued less than ten days before TPS for Syria was set to expire, falling short of the 60-day statutory notice period required under federal law. This abrupt timing caused widespread confusion and distress among Syrian TPS holders. At the very least, more time and clarity should have been provided to ensure fairness, compliance, and stability for affected families.”