Trump ends temporary protected status for Ethiopian nationals, issues 60-day departure notice

Ethiopia has officially joined the list of African countries no longer covered under the United States’ Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Friday.

• These policy changes have narrowed U.S. humanitarian protections for African nationals, sparking concerns about immigration safeguards.
• Ethiopia has been removed from the U.S. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, as announced by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
• TPS for South Sudan was also terminated, following an interagency review of security and humanitarian conditions.
• The decision comes after a review determining Ethiopia no longer meets TPS designation conditions, impacting many Ethiopian residents in the U.S.

The Trump administration has ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopian citizens in the United States, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Friday.

"After reviewing country conditions and consulting with appropriate U.S. Government agencies, the Secretary determined that Ethiopia no longer continues to meet the conditions for the designation for Temporary Protected Status," Noem said in a notice published in the Federal Register.

The decision is the latest in a series of policy changes narrowing U.S. immigration protections for nationals from conflict-affected regions.

Ethiopia was initially designated for TPS on December 12, 2022, due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary temporary conditions.

In April 2024, former Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas extended Ethiopia’s designation, reaffirming the country’s eligibility for TPS based on the same factors.

However, with the termination of TPS, thousands of long-term Ethiopian residents in the United States now face uncertainty regarding their legal status, work authorization, and access to social services, and have 60 days to depart voluntarily.

South Sudan TPS Also Terminated

The move follows the formal termination of TPS for South Sudan earlier last month.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the decision resulted from an interagency review, which concluded that “conditions in South Sudan no longer meet the TPS statutory requirements.”

The review drew on evaluations of security and humanitarian conditions by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, in consultation with the State Department.

DHS encouraged departing South Sudanese nationals to use the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home Mobile App to report their departure and facilitate a “safe and secure self-deportation process.”

Somali TPS Controversy

Earlier, President Trump revoked TPS for Somali nationals in Minnesota, the state with the largest Somali diaspora in the United States. In a late-night post on Truth Social, Trump cited unverified claims of gang activity and alleged financial crimes, writing, “Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing,” while describing Minnesota as a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” under Democratic Governor Tim Walz.

The decision sparked controversy, with advocacy groups questioning the evidence and criticizing the state-specific targeting. Somali protections, however, remain in effect in Minnesota through March 2026.

Implications for African TPS Recipients

With Ethiopia removed from the program, Sudan is now the only African country fully covered by TPS. The recent terminations have affected thousands of African nationals, raising concerns about the narrowing of U.S. humanitarian protections.

In the event of early voluntary departure, the program offered a plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus, and potential eligibility for future legal immigration pathways, allowing nationals 60 days to leave before deportations began in early January.