Federal judge blocks Trump administration from stripping immigrant work permits

A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from stripping work authorizations from tens of thousands of immigrants. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton’s order halts enforcement of rules stemming from July 2025 federal tax and spending legislation, which had introduced new fees for asylum applications and placed strict limitations on employment for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders.

The legal challenge, represented by the group Democracy Forward, argues that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services improperly applied statutory provisions, particularly regarding retroactive eligibility restrictions. The injunction provides relief for beneficiaries from countries including El Salvador, Sudan, and Ukraine until at least an August 5 hearing.

In a separate development, the Supreme Court ruled that the administration may end TPS for approximately 350,000 Haitian nationals who have held the status since 2010. Following this ruling, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has begun processing individuals, including instances of beneficiaries being fitted with ankle monitors in Ohio.