Ethiopia's TPS officially ends in the U.S., leaving thousands of migrants in limbo

The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopians in the United States officially ended on August 18, leaving thousands of migrants in limbo. This decision impacts individuals who relied on the benefit to legally reside and work in the U.S.

The termination followed a judicial process initiated by groups like African Communities Together, which challenged the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) decision. Plaintiffs argued the cancellation violated procedural, constitutional, and authority limits. However, federal judge Brian E. Murphy dismissed the bid to temporarily halt the program's end, concluding that the DHS secretary possesses the legal authority to terminate TPS designations.

Murphy's ruling stated that general legislative actions affecting an entire immigration program do not require the same due process guarantees as individual cases. While the court allowed a portion of the lawsuit concerning potential racial or national origin discrimination to proceed, this did not prevent the termination from taking effect. Approximately 5,000 Ethiopians held TPS, with about 263 applications pending as of November 10, 2025.

The end of the TPS designation means that Ethiopian nationals without another legal basis to stay in the U.S. are no longer protected from deportation. Consequently, their Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) associated with TPS have expired, requiring employers to re-verify their work authorization.

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On one hand is legislative action. When property is affected by a generally applicable legislative action, the owners have no right to notice beyond the notice provided by the promulgation and publication of the statute.