A federal court has allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending temporary immigration protections for Somali nationals living in the United States, a decision that could leave more than 1,000 people vulnerable to deportation.
The ruling marks the latest development in the administration's broader effort to scale back Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a programme that permits people from countries affected by war, natural disasters or other crises to live and work legally in the U.S.
The decision came from U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs in Boston, who had previously paused the termination of TPS for Somalia earlier this year.
That earlier order followed a lawsuit filed by Somali nationals and immigrant advocacy groups challenging the government's decision. However, recent legal developments at the Supreme Court level have narrowed the ability of lower courts to block the administration's attempts to end TPS designations.
As a result, the court has now allowed the Department of Homeland Security to proceed with ending Somalia's designation under the programme.
The Trump administration has argued that TPS was never intended to be a permanent immigration pathway and should be phased out when conditions in a country improve.
In January, then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced plans to end Somalia's protected status, saying the security and humanitarian situation had improved enough to justify the move.
That assessment has been disputed by migrant advocates and human rights groups, who point to continuing instability in Somalia, including clashes involving government forces and the militant group al-Shabaab.
Those opposing the decision argued that the move was motivated in part by hostility toward non-white immigrants.
The lawsuit cited past remarks by President Donald Trump about Somali migrants and claimed the administration's actions were influenced by racial bias rather than an objective assessment of conditions in Somalia.
While the court initially allowed those arguments to proceed, the legal landscape changed after a Supreme Court ruling in June gave the administration greater authority to end TPS protections for several countries.
That decision has since paved the way for the termination of similar protections affecting migrants from Haiti, Syria, South Sudan and Myanmar.
For Somali TPS holders, the ruling creates uncertainty about their future in the United States.
Many have built lives, careers and families during years of legal residence under the programme. Once TPS protections expire, affected individuals will need to secure another form of immigration status or risk becoming subject to removal proceedings.
Advocacy groups have warned that returning people to Somalia could expose them to ongoing security and economic challenges. The administration, however, maintains that immigration policy should reflect current conditions rather than indefinitely extend temporary protections.
The decision represents another significant victory for the Trump administration's immigration agenda and highlights the increasingly limited legal options available to groups seeking to challenge the end of TPS protections in U.S. courts.
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