US judge blocks Trump bid to strip work permits from immigrants

A United States federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from immediately revoking work authorisation for asylum seekers and immigrants holding Temporary Protected Status. The decision came after immigrant rights groups and labour unions challenged several policy changes introduced by US Citizenship and Immigration Services that would have taken effect as early as this week.

US District Judge Nathaniel Gorton found that the consequences faced by affected individuals could be severe. The challenged policies include a new requirement for asylum applicants to pay an annual fee or face rejection of their applications and termination of work permits, as well as the elimination of a longstanding rule requiring initial asylum work permit applications to be processed within 30 days. Legal advocates argued that the agency implemented these changes without the public consultation required by law.

The temporary order specifically protects individuals from El Salvador, Sudan, and Ukraine who maintain Temporary Protected Status, a humanitarian programme allowing people from countries experiencing war, natural disasters, or other major crises to remain and work legally in the United States. The judge did not block collection of the asylum fee itself but prevented the immediate consequences of non-payment while the legal challenge proceeds.

According to Democracy Forward, the legal group representing the coalition of organisations bringing the lawsuit, the ruling protects thousands of vulnerable individuals from sudden loss of employment authorisation. The judge indicated he would issue a decision on whether to extend the temporary block into a longer-term injunction by August 5. The controversial provisions were introduced as part of legislation passed by the Republican-controlled Congress in July 2025.