SPRINGFIELD — The Trump administration is appealing a federal judge’s decision that blocked the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from ending the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) that has allowed roughly 350,000 Haitians to live and work in the U.S.
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The administration filed its notice of appeal on Thursday, according to federal court documents obtained by News Center 7.
As reported by News Center 7 earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington, D.C. granted a pause on the termination of TPS for Haitians while a lawsuit challenging it proceeds.
TPS for Haitians in the United States was scheduled to end on Feb. 3.
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Judge Reyes said in an accompanying 83-page opinion that the Trump administration’s decision to end this program might have been unfair.
“During the stay, the Termination shall be null, void, and of no legal effect,” the judge said in her two-page order, adding that for now, the termination has no bearing on their ability to work and to be protected from detention and deportation.
Attorneys for Haitian TPS holders said in a court filing in December that the decision to end the country’s status was motivated by racial animus.
They added that DHS Secretary Kristi Noem failed to consider whether there was an ongoing armed conflict that would pose a “serious threat” to personal safety, as required by law.
“If the termination stands, people will almost certainly die,” the attorneys wrote. “Some will likely be killed, others will likely die from disease, and yet others will likely starve to death.”
The DHS said conditions in Haiti had improved.
In a court filing in December, attorneys for the administration said the plaintiffs’ claims of racial animus were based on statements “taken out of context, often from other speakers and from years ago, and without direct links to the Secretary’s determinations.”
As previously reported by News Center 7, there are an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 Haitian immigrants in Springfield.
Springfield Mayor Rob Rue previously said Reyes’ ruling provided “clarity and stability for families who are already part of our community.”
“Maintaining that stability matters because unnecessary disruption creates uncertainty that serves no one. We respect the judicial process and remain committed to the well-being of the people who call our city home,” Rue said in part.
News Center 7 reached back out to the City of Springfield for a comment following the notice of appeal being filed. A city spokesperson said they did not have a statement at this time.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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