Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump Administration From Revoking TPS Work Permits

On July 21, 2026, U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton in Boston temporarily blocked the Trump administration from revoking work permits for tens of thousands of asylum seekers and immigrants with Temporary Protected Status. The order pauses U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services from implementing restrictions tied to the 2025 tax-and-spending law, which imposed asylum application fees and curtailed employment authorization for TPS holders. Gorton wrote that "the consequences faced by plaintiffs are potentially severe" and said he would decide by August 5 whether to impose a longer-term pause. The suit was brought by Democracy Forward on behalf of immigrant-rights groups and labor unions.

The ruling is part of a broader wave of litigation over the administration's efforts to tighten immigration benefits and work authorization, and it temporarily preserves the ability of affected immigrants to work while the court weighs the policy's legality.

The block is temporary; a further ruling is expected by August 5.