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White House strips thousands more in NY of deportation protection
By
Arya Sundaram
Published Jul 7, 2025
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Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
By
Arya Sundaram
Published Jul 7, 2025
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The Department of Homeland Security on Monday ended deportation protections for tens of thousands of Hondurans and Nicaraguans in the United States, the latest in an expanding list of previously authorized newcomers to lose such protection.
The decision to end Temporary Protected Status for migrants from those countries takes effect in two months, the DHS said. The United States granted TPS to roughly 53,000 Hondurans and 3,000 Nicaraguans as of the end of 2024, according to data provided to Congress.
Migrants from both countries had been designated as potential TPS recipients since 1999 after Hurricane Mitch killed thousands in Central America. Recipients of TPS are granted temporary protection from deportation and allowed to work in the country legally.
“Temporary Protected Status was designed to be just that—temporary,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. “It is clear that the Government of Honduras has taken all of the necessary steps to overcome the impacts of Hurricane Mitch, almost 27 years ago. Honduran citizens can safely return home, and DHS is here to help facilitate their voluntary return.”
The decision comes after the Trump administration, cracking down on both authorized and unauthorized immigration, has moved to end parole relief and TPS for other countries, including Venezuela, Afghanistan, and Haiti. Critics contend the reversals will mean returning hundreds of thousands of immigrants to violent and harsh conditions in their homelands.
New York state has the largest number of Honduran TPS holders, at over 8,000, according to the National Immigration Forum. New York also has the third-largest population of TPS holders, at nearly 87,000, according to the NIF.
“This most recent abrupt termination will force thousands of immigrant New Yorkers into legal limbo and jeopardy,” Murad Awawdeh, president and CEO of the nonprofit New York Immigration Coalition, said in a statement.
“Now, with no clear path forward, immigrant families are being ordered to live in the shadows, uproot their lives after decades in America, or be deported to countries that remain unsafe,” Awawdeh added.
The Trump administration’s prior efforts to end TPS for other countries have faced legal challenges. A federal judge in New York last week blocked the Trump administration from ending TPS for Haitians. Another federal judge in March blocked the Trump administration from ending TPS for Venezuelans. The Supreme Court reversed that decision in May, while the larger lawsuit continues.
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Race And Justice Unit
immigration
new york city
Arya Sundaram
Arya is a reporter covering race and justice. Got a tip? Email: [email protected] or reach Arya on Signal at 512-650-8767.
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