The short version
- US District Judge Brian Murphy lifted a stay preventing the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for approximately 5,000 Ethiopians residing in the United States.
- The Department of Homeland Security declared that affected individuals are now present illegally and must depart immediately or face removal proceedings.
- Legal challenges continue regarding whether the termination was driven by racial or national origin bias, while advocates warn of severe risks due to renewed violence in Ethiopia.
A federal judge has authorized the Trump administration to proceed with cancelling Temporary Protected Status for roughly 5,000 Ethiopians currently living in the United States. The decision by US District Judge Brian Murphy removes a temporary legal barrier that had previously blocked the enforcement of this policy change. This ruling marks a significant expansion of the administration’s broader immigration crackdown, which has sought to revoke humanitarian protections for nationals from more than a dozen countries.
Following the judicial approval, the Department of Homeland Security issued a stark directive on social media platform X. The agency stated that those whose status has been terminated are now present in the nation illegally. Officials outlined two immediate paths for affected individuals: depart the country at once or face deportation proceedings. James Percival, the general counsel for the department, confirmed that all previously announced TPS terminations are now fully in effect.
This development follows a similar Supreme Court decision in June that ended protections for thousands of immigrants from Haiti and Syria. Ethiopia represents the final country where the Trump administration has moved to end these humanitarian safeguards. The program was originally designed to offer temporary work authorization and protection from removal to individuals who fled their home nations due to extraordinary conditions, such as armed conflict or natural disasters.
The initial designation for Ethiopia occurred in 2022 under President Joe Biden’s administration. It was implemented in response to severe instability, including the devastating Tigray war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. The Pretoria Agreement signed that year aimed to end the civil war, but tensions have since resurfaced. Both federal authorities and Tigrayan leaders have accused each other of violating the peace terms.
Recent weeks have seen renewed fighting and drone strikes in parts of northern Ethiopia. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front has taken steps to restore the regional government structure that existed before the war, seeking to dismantle the interim administration appointed by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. In response, the federal government has accused Tigrayan leaders of collaborating with neighboring Eritrea and the military forces of Sudan.
These escalating tensions have raised alarms about a potential return to widespread civil war. There are growing concerns that Eritrea may become directly involved in the conflict, which could trigger broader regional unrest. Additionally, Ethiopia continues to face armed insurgencies in Oromia and Amhara, two of the country’s most populous regions. Millions in Tigray live with increasing fears of a wider confrontation nearly four years after the initial ceasefire.
Advocacy groups and Ethiopian nationals who sued to preserve their status have expressed deep disappointment with the ruling. Diana Konaté, deputy executive director of policy and advocacy for African Communities Together, warned that the decision places thousands of lives at severe risk given the ongoing crisis. The Department of Homeland Security had initially announced the termination in December under Secretary Kristi Noem, asserting that conditions in Ethiopia were safe enough for repatriation.
Despite the lifting of the stay, legal proceedings are not entirely concluded. Judge Murphy dismissed certain claims in the lawsuit but allowed plaintiffs to continue litigating a critical question: whether the cancellation was motivated by racial or national origin animus. Such motivation would constitute a violation of the US Constitution. The outcome of this remaining legal battle could determine the long-term validity of the administration’s enforcement actions against Ethiopian nationals.
The administration has already terminated TPS for several South and Central American countries, including Venezuela and Honduras. This latest move completes a sweeping effort to reduce the number of immigrants eligible for humanitarian protections. As enforcement begins, affected individuals face immediate uncertainty regarding their legal standing and future in the United States.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- BBC World↗Trump administration can target Ethiopians for deportation
