Ethiopian nationals living in the United States will lose their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) next year, following a decision by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the latest move in President Donald Trump’s broader effort to rein in temporary immigration programs that officials say have been stretched far beyond their intended purpose.
DHS announced on Friday that Noem is terminating Ethiopia’s TPS designation, concluding after a formal review that the country no longer meets the statutory requirements for continued protection.
TPS, established in the 1990s, was designed as a short-term humanitarian measure for nationals of countries experiencing war, natural disaster, or similar crises.
It does not provide a pathway to permanent residency or citizenship, which is something the administration has repeatedly underscored as the Biden-era expansions pulled hundreds of thousands into the program.
“Temporary Protected Status designations are time-limited and were never meant to be a ticket to permanent residency,” a USCIS spokesperson said.
“Conditions in Ethiopia no longer pose a serious threat to the personal safety of returning Ethiopian nationals.
“Since the situation no longer meets the statutory requirements for a TPS designation, Secretary Noem is terminating this designation to restore integrity in our immigration system.”
60-Day Window Before Deportations Begin
Under DHS policy, Ethiopian nationals without another legal basis to remain in the country will have 60 days to depart voluntarily.
Beginning February 13, 2026, those who stay without authorization may be subject to arrest and removal.
The department is encouraging voluntary compliance through its CBP Home app, offering incentives for self-deportation:
- A complimentary plane ticket
- A $1,000 exit bonus
- Future eligibility for legal immigration pathways
DHS warned that those who refuse to depart and must be forcibly removed face lasting consequences:
“If an alien forces DHS to arrest and remove them, they may never be allowed to return to the United States.”
Part of a Wider Strategy to Roll Back Biden-Era TPS Expansions
Noem’s determination on Ethiopia follows a series of TPS terminations the Trump administration has announced in recent months, targeting countries whose protections surged under Biden:
- Haiti
- Burma
- South Sudan
- Syria
- Venezuela
The rationale has remained consistent: improved conditions abroad and a need to eliminate incentives that attract illegal immigration.
“We are returning integrity to the TPS system, which has been abused and exploited by illegal aliens for decades,” a DHS spokeswoman said in February while announcing the end of TPS for Haitians.
“President Trump and Secretary Noem are returning TPS to its original status: temporary.”
The administration framed these reversals as part of Trump’s longstanding pledge to dismantle policies that function as de facto amnesty.
When eliminating TPS protections for Haitians earlier this year, DHS said the move aligned with Trump’s “promise to rescind policies that were magnets for illegal immigration and inconsistent with the law.”
Legal Challenges Continue, But Trump Keeps Winning Key Battles
Advocacy groups and some Democratic officials have attempted to block TPS rollbacks in federal court.
Judges have temporarily halted the cancellation of TPS for certain groups, including Haitians and Syrians, on procedural grounds.
But the administration secured a major victory in October, when the Supreme Court cleared the path to revoke TPS for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin praised the ruling:
“President Trump is restoring America’s immigration system so that it actually benefits the U.S. citizen, and today’s Supreme Court victory is a win for the American people and common sense.”
Immigration Enforcement Numbers Reflect the Policy Shift
The end of Ethiopia’s TPS designation comes as DHS reports record enforcement removals during Trump’s second term.
According to figures released this week:
- More than 2.5 million illegal immigrants have left the U.S. since January
- 1.9 million voluntarily self-deported
- Over 600,000 were formally deported
The administration has framed these numbers as evidence that its policies, including tightened TPS standards, are reversing years of lax enforcement under Biden.
READ MORE – Kristi Noem: Biden Green-Lit a ‘Free-for-All’ for ‘Asylum Seekers’
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