Africa-Press – Ethiopia. December 13, 2025 2 minutes read Addis Abeba – The United_States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the termination of Ethiopia’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS), ending protections that have allowed eligible Ethiopian nationals to live and work legally in the U.S. since the designation was first granted in 2022.
In a statement issued this week, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said the decision follows a “careful assessment of country conditions,” concluding that circumstances in Ethiopia “no longer meet the statutory requirements” for extending TPS.
A spokesperson for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) emphasized that the program is intended to be temporary. “Temporary Protected Status designations are time-limited and were never meant to be a ticket to permanent residency,” the spokesperson said. “Conditions in Ethiopia no longer pose a serious threat to the personal safety of returning Ethiopian nationals.”
The termination triggers a 60-day grace period for affected Ethiopian nationals to depart the United States unless they have another lawful basis to remain.
DHS warned that after 13 February, 2026, Ethiopian nationals who remain in the country without valid status may face arrest and removal. Individuals who are removed through enforcement actions may also be barred from returning to the U.S. in the future, according to the statement.
The announcement marks one of the most significant immigration policy changes affecting Ethiopians in the United States in recent years, impacting thousands who have relied on TPS amid conflict, insecurity, and humanitarian crises in Ethiopia.
In November 2025 it was reported that the United States government has officially terminated the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for South Sudan, ending protections for thousands of South Sudanese nationals who have lived and worked legally in the U.S. under humanitarian grounds.
The decision, part of a broader U.S. immigration policy shift, has renewed attention on the few Africa nations that continue to benefit from the program.
Now it is Somalia and Sudan remain under TPS protection due to ongoing humanitarian crises that make safe repatriation impossible.
The TPS program, administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), allows nationals from designated countries to live and work legally in the U.S. when returning home would pose a danger due to armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions.
Ethiopia’s inclusion in the program, granted in 2022, was linked to the conflict in Tigray and large-scale displacement across the country. Somalia’s prolonged civil unrest, persistent terrorist threats, and recurring droughts have justified its continued coverage, while Sudan’s designation stems from political violence and the humanitarian fallout following the 2023 conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces.
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