US Court Clears Way for Trump Administration to End Migrant Protections for Nepal, Honduras and Nicaragua

USA - A federal appeals court in San Francisco has allowed the Trump administration to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nearly 60,000 migrants from Nepal, Honduras and Nicaragua. The ruling lifts a lower court’s order that had kept protections in place, meaning about 7,000 Nepalis may now face removal, while protections for 51,000 Hondurans and 3,000 Nicaraguans are due to expire in September.

TPS allows migrants to remain and work in the United States if their home countries are considered unsafe due to natural disasters, conflict or political instability. Many Hondurans and Nicaraguans first received TPS after Hurricane Mitch devastated Central America in 1998, while Nepalis were granted the status following the 2015 earthquake. For many, this protection has allowed them to live in the US for over a decade, raise families, and contribute to their local communities.

The National TPS Alliance, representing affected migrants, argues that the administration acted unlawfully and without properly reviewing conditions in the countries. A lower court judge in July agreed, noting ongoing violence in Honduras and storm damage in Nicaragua, and had ordered that protections remain in place while the case continues. However, the appeals court has now paused that ruling, saying the matter needs further review.

Government lawyers insist that TPS was never meant to serve as a permanent form of asylum and that continuing the programme causes “irreparable harm” by preventing the administration from carrying out its policies. Officials say conditions in the three countries no longer justify protection, while critics claim the decision was politically driven and tied to Trump’s campaign promises.

Immigrant rights groups warn that the ruling places thousands of families at risk of separation and deportation, particularly as many TPS holders have US-born children. Honduran officials expressed disappointment but said they hope to secure more time for their nationals to find legal pathways to remain in the country.

The case could eventually reach the US Supreme Court, which earlier this year allowed the administration to end TPS for Venezuelans without explanation. Until then, migrants from Nepal, Honduras and Nicaragua face an uncertain future as their legal status winds down.

(Source: AP reporting)