Boston — Several Somali nationals living in the United States have filed a lawsuit against the administration of Donald Trump, challenging a decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali migrants, a move that could affect more than a thousand people.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in a federal court in Boston, comes after the U.S. government announced plans to terminate the program that allows eligible migrants to live and work in the United States without fear of deportation.

TPS is a humanitarian program granted to people from countries affected by armed conflict, natural disasters or severe political instability. Officials had argued that improved conditions in Somalia justified ending the protection.

Outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in January that the decision was based on what she described as progress in Somalia, suggesting Somali nationals could safely return to their country.

But four Somali plaintiffs, joined by two human rights organizations, argue in the lawsuit that the decision was procedurally flawed and motivated by discriminatory intent. Their lawyers cited past remarks by Trump that they say targeted Somalis with derogatory language and signaled opposition to their continued presence in the United States.

The case could have major implications for hundreds of Somali families currently protected under the program. If the court does not block the decision, TPS holders risk losing their legal status and could face deportation to Somalia.