Judge Allows Termination of TPS for Ethiopian Immigrants

A federal judge has enabled the Trump administration to conclude deportation protections for Ethiopian immigrants. This action puts into effect the ending of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for specific countries pursued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston lifted a temporary hold on the TPS program, which had let Ethiopian nationals live and work legally in the U.S. due to their home country being deemed unsafe. Last year, DHS assessed that conditions in Ethiopia had improved, no longer meeting TPS criteria.

This decision removes the last legal barrier for DHS after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June to terminate similar protections for Haitians and Syrians. According to DHS: “ALL TPS terminations are now IN EFFECT.” They added that those with terminated TPS should leave promptly or face deportation.

The move is part of a ruling by Murphy, who previously issued an administrative stay in the African Communities Together v. Markwayne Mullin case. Plaintiffs argued that the DHS terminated protections due to racial and national-origin discrimination.

Murphy ruled that DHS holds the authority to end TPS designations and that individual hearings weren’t necessary before termination. However, the judge found the plaintiffs’ claim viable, suggesting potential discrimination, possibly breaching the Fifth Amendment Equal Protection Clause.

Temporary Protected Status, established by Congress in 1990, offers temporary work authorization and deportation protection to noncitizens from countries deemed unsafe due to conflict, disasters, or extraordinary conditions. Ethiopia joined the program on Dec. 12, 2022, following armed conflict and climate challenges.

The Secretary of Homeland Security ended Ethiopia’s TPS designation last December, setting an end date of Feb. 13, 2026. Legal challenges followed, resulting in temporary pauses, which the latest ruling has now dissolved.