A federal court hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at 2:00 PM EDT, in the case 3:25-cv-05687-TLT — National TPS Alliance et al. v. Noem et al. The hearing, concerning a Motion for Miscellaneous Relief in a lawsuit challenging the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for individuals from Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua, will be held before Judge Trina L. Thompson in Courtroom 9, 19th Floor. Judge Thompson was nominated by President Joe Biden in November 2021 and confirmed in May 2022.
The National TPS Alliance (NTPSA) and seven individual plaintiffs filed the lawsuit on July 7, 2025, against the Trump administration. The suit contests the DHS decision to end TPS for nationals of Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. These terminations affect approximately 60,000 TPS holders.
Many of these individuals have resided in the U.S. for extended periods: up to 26 years for those from Honduras and Nicaragua, and 10 years for those from Nepal. The termination announcements were made on July 8, 2025, for Honduras and Nicaragua (following the expiration of prior TPS extensions), and on June 6, 2025, for Nepal.
The lawsuit alleges violations of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), constitutional breaches due to racial animus, and the failure to provide an adequate transition period. Under these decisions, Honduran and Nicaraguan TPS holders face losing their legal status and work authorization within 60 days, while Nepali TPS holders face the same by August 5, 2025.
Among the plaintiffs are Jhony Silva, a Honduran TPS holder who arrived in the U.S. at age three and works as a hospital caregiver; S.K., a 33-year-old Nepali TPS holder living in San Francisco, engaged to a U.S. citizen and working in theater; and Sandhya Lama, a 43-year-old Nepali TPS holder in Virginia and the sole provider for her three U.S. citizen children, one of whom requires specialized medical treatment.
The lawsuit argues that the terminations stem from a predetermined political agenda to dismantle TPS and disregarded statutory obligations to assess country conditions in Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua, where ongoing crises allegedly render return unsafe. It also claims the administration’s refusal to grant an “orderly transition” period of at least six months—a standard practice for
TPS terminations involving countries designated for three years or more—exacerbates the hardship for TPS holders. Ahilan Arulanantham, co-director of the UCLA Center for Immigration Law & Policy, commented on the difficult situation faced by TPS holders.
The NTPSA, representing 320,000 members, has stated its commitment to pursuing legal and advocacy efforts for permanent residency. Legal representation for the plaintiffs includes the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, ACLU Foundations of Northern and Southern California, UCLA’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy, and the Haitian Bridge Alliance.
Attorneys Emi MacLean of the ACLU Foundation of Northern California and Jessica Bansal of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network have also commented on the case.
On Friday, July 25, 2025, the County of Los Angeles filed an administrative motion seeking to submit a brief from 12 local governments supporting the plaintiffs’ motion to postpone the effective date of the agency action. Also on July 25, Judge Trina L. Thompson issued an order outlining specific questions for the upcoming hearing.
On Thursday, July 24, she granted several states leave to file an amicus curiae brief in support of the plaintiffs, while denying a similar motion from the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI).
Further updates include the granting of a Pro Hac Vice motion on Monday, July 21, allowing Cleland B. Welton II to appear for the State of California. Shelby Wade also filed a notice of appearance for the defendants, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Kristi Noem, on July 21.
On Friday, July 18, the plaintiffs submitted their reply to the defendants’ opposition to the motion to postpone, accompanied by a declaration and nine exhibits from Jessica Karp Bansal.
The State of California also filed its own motion on July 18 for leave to file an amicus curiae brief supporting the plaintiffs’ efforts to postpone the effective date of the TPS termination.
On the same day, fifteen state Attorneys General, including New York Attorney General Letitia James and Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, filed an amicus brief in the case to defend TPS for immigrants from Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua.
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Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
