A fresh legal battle over immigration policy is putting another federal judge in the political spotlight, with Republican lawmakers now seeking impeachment after a court temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals.
At the center of the dispute is U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs of the District of Massachusetts. On Friday, Burroughs issued a temporary stay preventing the administration from ending TPS protections for Somalis while litigation moves forward.
The lawsuit was brought by African Communities Together, which argues that the administration’s decision was motivated by racial discrimination. The temporary order does not resolve the underlying legal claims but preserves the current status of the program while the court considers the case.
The ruling immediately drew criticism from the Trump administration and its allies in Congress, who argue that immigration policy is primarily the responsibility of the executive branch and that the courts have increasingly overstepped their role.
I have just introduced articles of impeachment against radical judicial activist Judge Allison Burroughs for ignoring the Supreme Court and attempting to force mass migration from Somalia into American communities.
America is not Africa’s dumping ground. We will end Temporary… pic.twitter.com/hzUtjM146x
— Rep. Andy Ogles (@RepOgles) August 3, 2026
Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., responded by introducing articles of impeachment against Burroughs. According to a copy of the resolution obtained by Fox News Digital, Ogles accuses the judge of having “defied the authority of both Federal law and the Supreme Court.”
The impeachment effort stems in part from a Supreme Court decision issued in June that narrowed the circumstances under which lower federal courts may issue broad injunctions affecting executive branch decisions, including those involving Temporary Protected Status. Supporters of the administration argue that Burroughs’ order conflicts with both the spirit and the effect of that ruling.
Department of Homeland Security General Counsel James Percival echoed that criticism in a post on X.
“There is no serious debate about what is going on in these cases—defiance, obstruction, and delay,” Percival wrote.
Whether Burroughs’ order ultimately conflicts with the Supreme Court’s recent guidance is likely to become a central issue as the litigation continues. The temporary stay is designed to preserve the status quo while the legal challenge proceeds, and appellate courts may eventually be asked to determine whether the district court acted within its authority.
The political reaction, however, has already moved beyond the courtroom. Calls to impeach federal judges have become increasingly common when major rulings halt presidential actions, though successful judicial impeachments remain exceedingly rare. Under the Constitution, federal judges serve during good behavior and can only be removed by impeachment in the House and conviction in the Senate.
