The action by a federal court in New York comes as U.S. textile makers brace for an even greater surge of Chinese apparel imports when decades-old, worldwide quotas expire Saturday.

US textile and clothing manufacturers, worried about more competition coming from China, are seeking protections from the administration to limit Chinese imports. Industry officials decried the action, saying it could further hurt beleaguered U.S. factory jobs.

Importers of Chinese goods and the retailers that buy apparel and textiles made in China hailed the judge's decision.

Judge Richard Goldberg of the U.S. Court of International Trade in New York on Thursday issued a preliminary injunction that temporarily bars the administration from considering petitions seeking restrictions on imports of clothing and textiles from China.

The US Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel, whose members include J.C. Penney, Liz Claiborne and other retailers, sought the injunction. The Bush administration opposed the group's request.

The issue of trade with China has been politically touchy for the administration. Democrats have accused President Bush of not doing enough to protect American workers from unfair foreign competition.

The US trade deficit with China clocked a record $16.8 billion in October as imports flowing from the country posted all-time highs.

The administration has been pressing China to let its currency, the yuan, be set in open markets. U.S. manufacturers claims Beijing's currency policies give Chinese companies a big competitive advantage over US companies.

Petitions seeking limits on Chinese textile and apparel imports are permissible under a special provision of the agreement China signed to gain entry into the World Trade Organization in late 2001. The United States can impose temporary restrictions on such imports from China if those products are threatening market disruptions.