TPS is a humanitarian program established by Congress that allows nationals of countries affected by armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions to remain legally in the U.S. In 2018, the first Trump administration attempted to eliminate these protections, but legal challenges upheld the status. Photo: EFEA US federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that the Trump administration acted illegally when it ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans and Haitians living and working in the country, according to judicial sources and international media. Noem overstepped her authority by terminating TPS for Venezuelans and Haitians, calling the move illegal. The panel also confirmed that the early termination of TPS for Haitians was likewise outside the statutory authority granted by Congress.