Federal Judge Lifts Ethiopia TPS Block, Greenlighting Trump's Deportation Order

A federal judge has just removed the final legal hurdle for the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 5,000 Ethiopian nationals in the United States. On August 18, 2026, U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy lifted an administrative order that had temporarily stopped the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from terminating these protections, effectively ending their ability to legally live and work in the U.S. as of that day. This decision marks a significant moment, following a landmark June 2026 Supreme Court ruling that severely limited federal courts' power to review TPS termination decisions, restricting challenges almost entirely to 'constitutional grounds'. Ethiopia was initially granted TPS in 2022 due to armed conflict in the Tigray region and widespread humanitarian issues, with the Biden administration later extending these protections in April 2024. However, the Trump administration, since its return to office in January 2025, has consistently argued that conditions in Ethiopia no longer justify TPS, moving to end the status for over a dozen countries. While the direct protections have ceased and affected individuals now face the threat of deportation, a lawsuit brought by groups like African Communities Together, challenging the termination on constitutional grounds, is still ongoing. The DHS has issued stern warnings for those whose TPS has ended to 'leave NOW,' emphasizing that they 'will DEPORT them' if they do not. This leaves thousands in a precarious position, scrambling to explore other legal avenues or facing the tough choice of returning to a country many still consider unsafe.