New York, New York - A federal judge recently shot down an effort by President Donald Trump's administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian migrants.

Before leaving office, Trump's predecessor, former President Joe Biden, extended TPS for Haitians, allowing them to reside in the US until February 2026.

But since taking over, Trump and his Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have moved to rescind Biden's order and are seeking to end the program much earlier.

On Tuesday, US District Judge Brian Cogan, who was appointed by former President George W. Bush, issued a ruling that described the current administration's effort as "unlawful," noting that the interests of Haitians in the US "far outweigh any harm to the Government from a postponement."

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Cogan also said that Noem did not properly follow the timeline mandated by Congress to end TPS, adding that she "does not have statutory or inherent authority" to make such a call.

Trump has made immigration the focus of his second term, with his efforts resulting in thousands of undocumented migrants, mostly people of color, being arrested and deported.

On the campaign trail last year, he and his running mate, JD Vance, repeatedly pushed a baseless claim that Haitian migrants in Ohio were eating their neighbors' pets.

Even after the claim was thoroughly debunked, both continued to push it, with Vance later arguing he was willing to "create stories" to push the narrative he wants.