US Court Allows Trump to End Deportation Protections for 60,000 Migrants from Three Countries
Washington, 10 February 2026
A federal appeals court has cleared the path for the Trump administration to revoke Temporary Protected Status for approximately 60,000 migrants from Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua, citing recent Supreme Court precedents. The ruling affects individuals who have been living and working legally in the United States under this decades-old humanitarian programme designed to protect people from countries facing armed conflict, natural disasters, and other catastrophes. This decision represents a significant shift in US immigration policy, potentially impacting similar protections for migrants from other crisis-affected nations as the administration continues its broader crackdown on immigration programmes.
Ninth Circuit Ruling Sets Legal Precedent
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit stayed Judge Trina L. Thompson’s ruling at the Trump administration’s request on 9 February 2026, referencing the Supreme Court’s rulings in the Venezuelan case [1]. The three-judge panel determined that “the government can likely show that the administrative record adequately supports the secretary’s action” [1]. This decision directly contradicts Judge Thompson of the Northern District of California, who had previously stated that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had perpetuated xenophobic stereotypes to suspend TPS protections in 2025 [1]. The appeals court’s ruling follows the Supreme Court’s precedent from 2025, when it allowed deportation protections to expire for Venezuelan migrants [1].
Impact on Migrant Communities
According to the Congressional Research Service, approximately 60000 migrants are covered under Temporary Protected Status across the three affected countries: 50,000 Hondurans, 7,000 Nepalis, and 3,000 Nicaraguans [1]. The TPS programme, which is decades-old, allows people from countries facing armed conflict, natural disasters and other catastrophes to temporarily live and work in the United States [1]. These individuals must reapply every 18 months to maintain their legal status [2][3]. The revocation of their protected status means these migrants could face immediate deportation proceedings, potentially separating families and disrupting communities where they have established roots over many years.
Broader Immigration Enforcement Context
This ruling represents part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement strategy, which has been described as “hardline”, “maximalist”, and a “mass deportation” campaign [6]. The administration has targeted the TPS programme specifically, moving to eliminate protections for over 1 million people from eight countries [1]. As of August 2025, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had deported nearly 200,000 people in seven months since Trump returned to office [6]. The government has argued that these programmes were originally intended as temporary relief but have expanded beyond their original scope [1].
Legal Challenges and Future Implications
The Trump administration has faced resistance from district court judges who have opposed attempts to end deportation protections [1]. However, the recent Supreme Court precedent in the Venezuelan case has provided legal backing for the administration’s actions. Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, indicated the administration’s confidence in pursuing these cases further, stating “Supreme Court, here we come. Temporary means temporary and the final word will not be from an activist judge legislating from the bench” [2][3]. This ruling could set a precedent for similar challenges to TPS protections for migrants from other countries, as the administration continues to pursue what advocates describe as an unprecedented assault on immigration programmes in modern American history [6].