Federal Judge Halts Trump's Plan to Strip Haitians of Protected Status Amid 'Killers' Slur
A US federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration's attempt to strip up to 350,000 Haitian immigrants of their protected status, allowing them to live and work in the country legally.
In a ruling issued by Judge Ana Reyes, Kristi Noem, the head of the homeland security department, was barred from implementing her decision to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians. The move was set to take effect on Tuesday but has now been put on hold until further notice.
Ms. Noem had referred to those seeking refuge in the US as "killers, leeches, or entitlement junkies" when announcing the revocation of TPS, which is scheduled to expire next year. However, Judge Reyes pointed out that the individuals affected by this decision are not characterized by such demeaning language.
The plaintiffs, who include five Haitian nationals with various professions, including a neuroscientist and a registered nurse, will continue to work and be protected from deportation while the ruling remains in place. The judge noted that it is "substantially likely" that Ms. Noem preordained her termination decision due to her reported hostility towards non-white immigrants.
TPS can be granted by the homeland security secretary if conditions in a country are deemed unsafe for return, such as natural disasters or political instability. However, this status does not provide a legal pathway to citizenship and has been targeted by the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts.
Haiti is currently experiencing gang violence that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, making its TPS status more critical than ever. Despite an improvement in conditions according to the Department of Homeland Security, lawyers for the plaintiffs argue that the situation remains dire, with potential consequences including death by starvation or disease.
In a court filing last month, attorneys for Haitian TPS holders warned that if the termination stands, people would "almost certainly die". The ruling is a significant victory for the affected individuals and highlights ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable populations in the US.
A US federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration's attempt to strip up to 350,000 Haitian immigrants of their protected status, allowing them to live and work in the country legally.
In a ruling issued by Judge Ana Reyes, Kristi Noem, the head of the homeland security department, was barred from implementing her decision to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians. The move was set to take effect on Tuesday but has now been put on hold until further notice.
Ms. Noem had referred to those seeking refuge in the US as "killers, leeches, or entitlement junkies" when announcing the revocation of TPS, which is scheduled to expire next year. However, Judge Reyes pointed out that the individuals affected by this decision are not characterized by such demeaning language.
The plaintiffs, who include five Haitian nationals with various professions, including a neuroscientist and a registered nurse, will continue to work and be protected from deportation while the ruling remains in place. The judge noted that it is "substantially likely" that Ms. Noem preordained her termination decision due to her reported hostility towards non-white immigrants.
TPS can be granted by the homeland security secretary if conditions in a country are deemed unsafe for return, such as natural disasters or political instability. However, this status does not provide a legal pathway to citizenship and has been targeted by the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts.
Haiti is currently experiencing gang violence that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, making its TPS status more critical than ever. Despite an improvement in conditions according to the Department of Homeland Security, lawyers for the plaintiffs argue that the situation remains dire, with potential consequences including death by starvation or disease.
In a court filing last month, attorneys for Haitian TPS holders warned that if the termination stands, people would "almost certainly die". The ruling is a significant victory for the affected individuals and highlights ongoing efforts to protect vulnerable populations in the US.
, and I saw someone's Instagram post about it yesterday. Anyway, back to the news... can you believe the language that person used? It's crazy how some people can get away with saying such hurtful things in public 
. On a related note, have you guys tried that new coffee shop downtown? The latte art is insane! 
. how can u call ppl 'killers' or 'leeches'? 
that's not cool at all 
by blocking it & letting those ppl live & work w/o fear of deportation 
. tps is meant 2 help ppl in danger, not hurt them 
. can't we all just get along? 
what's up with this guy Noem? sounds like she's got some major issues with those Haitian immigrants... 'killers' 'leeches'? who uses language like that in a formal announcement? 
anyway, glad the judge stepped in and blocked her plan. I mean, can you imagine being one of those 350k people just sitting there thinking 'oh great, my status is gonna get revoked because someone used some pretty harsh words' 
it's not right, all these ppl are fleeing their country for a reason, they need help & protection, not abuse...
. These Haitian immigrants have already been through so much, fleeing gang violence and all sorts of hardship back home... to come here seeking safety and a better life? It's just not right that they're being treated like this 
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. Now let's hope this ruling stands and these people can finally feel safe in this country 
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. I mean, come on, who uses language like that? It's not even about policy, it's about treating people with respect and dignity. The judge did the right thing by blocking it, but what's really sad is that these 350k ppl are living in limbo, unsure if they'll be able to stay or go back home 
. Haiti's situation is super dire, I've been following it for ages... gang violence and displacement on a huge scale. We should be doing more to help those affected, not stripping them of their rights 
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. And now, a judge steps in and puts the brakes on this plan, saying it's gotta be put on hold because of the way Ms Noem spoke about these folks. I get it, it's not nice talk 
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. And what's even more wild is that the head of homeland security basically called 'em killers and leeches 
. like, who does that? 
. I'm not surprised though, it's like trump's admin is just trying to make life harder for people already struggling. and now they're gonna have to live in limbo because of this judge's ruling 
. it's a small win, but still 
I'm all about freedom of speech and stuff, but come on, using derogatory terms towards innocent people seeking refuge? That's just low, you know? 
Anyways, this ruling is def a win for the people, and I'm all about celebrating those 
I'm so bummed I missed this thread... but seriously, what's going on with these politicians and their words? 
... we gotta do better than this, u feel? 
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but at the same time, i get why the government wants to make sure we're not flooding the system with people who can't even speak english or don't have jobs 
but come on, using language like that is just so racist 
and what about the fact that MS Noem was basically insulting their intelligence by calling them "killers" and all that other stuff