A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from enforcing new immigration policies that would have stripped tens of thousands of asylum seekers and immigrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of their work authorization. U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton in Boston issued the temporary order, preventing the changes from taking effect while the court reviews their legality. A decision on a longer-term injunction is expected by August 5.
The challenged policies were introduced to implement immigration restrictions included in the 2025 tax and spending law passed by Congress. The measures imposed new asylum application fees and limited employment authorization for TPS recipients, including those from El Salvador, Sudan, and Ukraine. Immigrant rights organizations and labor unions argued that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) unlawfully applied the restrictions retroactively without providing the required public notice and comment period.
While the court allowed USCIS to continue collecting the new fees, it barred the agency from revoking work permits or penalizing individuals who do not pay them until the case is resolved. The ruling provides temporary relief for thousands of TPS holders whose protections, previously extended by the Biden administration, remain valid through September and October 2025 depending on their country of origin.
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