(MENAFN) A U.S. federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for tens of thousands of migrants from Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua, CBS News reported.

Judge Trina Thompson of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California ruled Thursday that TPS protections for approximately 60,000 migrants must remain in place while legal proceedings continue. She criticized the administration for attempting to terminate the program without properly evaluating current conditions in the affected countries, such as political unrest in Honduras and recent natural disasters in Nicaragua.

Thompson also cited discriminatory remarks by former President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, suggesting their motivations were racially biased, implying concerns about immigrants "replacing" the white population.

Although no timeline was set for a final decision, the next court hearing is scheduled for November 18.

Earlier, on July 8, the Department of Homeland Security announced plans to end TPS for Hondurans and Nicaraguans. Official figures indicate that the program currently covers around 72,000 Hondurans, 12,700 Nepalis, and 4,000 Nicaraguans, though some of them have since obtained U.S. green cards — including roughly 21,000 Hondurans, 5,500 Nepalis, and 1,100 Nicaraguans.

Since Trump took office, his administration has attempted to cancel TPS protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from countries like Haiti, Cameroon, Afghanistan, and Venezuela. While some courts have blocked these efforts, the Supreme Court has allowed TPS termination for over 300,000 Venezuelans.

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