Court Halts Trump-Era Immigration Policies That Put Thousands of Work Permits at Risk

Court Halts Trump-Era Immigration Policies That Put Thousands of Work Permits at Risk

July 22, 2026
By Mintesinot Nigussie

A federal court has temporarily blocked US government policies that could have stripped thousands of asylum seekers and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders of employment authorisation, preventing the measures from taking effect while legal challenges continue. The emergency order was issued a day before thousands of TPS holders were set to lose their ability to work under policies implemented by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) following provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The ruling also prevents USCIS from rejecting asylum applications and immediately ending work authorisation for asylum seekers under the challenged policies. The court’s order will remain in place as the case proceeds. The lawsuit was brought by the Venezuelan Association of Massachusetts, the National TPS Alliance, the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and 32BJ SEIU.

The groups argue that USCIS introduced new barriers for asylum seekers and TPS holders without adequate notice or due process. The plaintiffs challenged policies that they say would have shortened employment authorisation periods for TPS recipients, allowed asylum applications to be rejected under new requirements, and enabled the termination of work permits without sufficient procedural safeguards.

Without the court’s intervention, thousands of individuals holding TPS or seeking asylum faced the loss of employment authorisation, affecting their ability to work legally in the United States. “This decision protects thousands of asylum seekers and TPS holders from immediate and irreparable harm while this case moves forward,” the coalition and its legal representatives said in a statement.

The groups said the court’s decision allows time for further review of the legal questions surrounding the USCIS policies and argued that humanitarian protections established by Congress should continue to apply. The plaintiffs are represented by Democracy Forward, the National Day Laborer Organizing Network and the Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project.

Source: FSX Business News