A U.S. district court ruling blocks termination of temporary legal status for thousands, citing statutory requirements governing immigration policy.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A federal judge has issued an order preventing the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Ethiopian nationals residing in the United States, concluding that the action did not comply with governing law.
U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy ruled that the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to terminate TPS for Ethiopians failed to follow procedures established by Congress. According to a report, the court found the rationale for ending the designation to be insufficient under statutory requirements.
“Fundamental to this case—and indeed to our constitutional system—is the principle that the will of the President does not supersede that of Congress,” Murphy said. “Presidential whims do not and cannot supplant agencies’ statutory obligations.”
The ruling temporarily preserves legal protections for Ethiopian nationals who have been covered under TPS since 2022. The program allows individuals from designated countries to remain in the United States due to conditions such as armed conflict or environmental disaster that prevent safe return.
The administration’s effort to end the designation followed an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in January 2025. In that directive, outlined in a White House action, federal agencies were instructed to ensure TPS designations align with statutory limits under U.S. immigration law and are “appropriately limited in scope.”
Judge Murphy determined that the Department of Homeland Security did not adhere to those statutory procedures and described the justification for termination as “pretextual.”
In December, DHS announced plans to end TPS coverage for Ethiopian nationals, stating that individuals without another lawful basis to remain would have 60 days to depart voluntarily. The agency warned that after February 13, those without status could be subject to arrest and removal proceedings.
At the time, a spokesperson for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services said, “Temporary Protected Status designations are time-limited and were never meant to be a ticket to permanent residency,” adding that conditions in Ethiopia “no longer pose a serious threat to the personal safety of returning Ethiopian nationals.”
The court’s decision places the termination on hold, leaving TPS protections in place while legal proceedings continue. The ruling underscores ongoing tensions between executive actions on immigration policy and statutory frameworks established by Congress.