U.S. District Court Judge Patti Saris – Photo credit: REUTERS/Brian Snyder

A United States federal judge has blocked the administration of President Donald Trump from ending Temporary Protected Status for South Sudanese nationals.

U.S. District Judge Patti Saris issued the ruling on Thursday in Boston, stopping a move by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to terminate the protection.

Temporary Protected Status, also known as TPS, allows nationals of countries affected by conflict or natural disasters to live and work legally in the United States without fear of deportation.

According to U.S News and World Report, Judge Saris ruled that the decision to end TPS for South Sudan was likely unlawful, saying the justification provided by the Department of Homeland Security did not reflect the real reason for the action.

South Sudan was first granted TPS designation in 2011 following the outbreak of conflict.

According to court documents, about 232 South Sudanese nationals currently benefit from the program, with dozens more applications pending.

The lawsuit was filed by a group of South Sudanese nationals and the non-profit organization African Communities Together.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security criticized the ruling, describing it as an overreach by the federal judiciary.

South Sudan has experienced continued instability since gaining independence in 2011, despite the signing of a peace agreement in 2018.

The court decision means Temporary Protected Status for South Sudanese nationals will remain in place until further legal proceedings are concluded.