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US Ends Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopian Nationals, Orders Departure in 60 Days
The US has terminated TPS for ~5,000 Ethiopian nationals, giving them 60 days to leave or face deportation, citing improved conditions despite ongoing violence in parts of Ethiopia.
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by Muhammad Hashir
2025-12-13
US Ends Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopian Nationals, Orders Departure in 60 Days

The United States has ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopian nationals, ordering them to depart the country within 60 days or face arrest and deportation. The decision, announced by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Friday, affects approximately 5,000 refugees who fled armed conflict in Ethiopia.

The termination, set to take effect in early February 2026, reflects the administration’s assessment that conditions in Ethiopia “no longer pose a serious threat” to returning nationals, despite ongoing violence in parts of the country. Beneficiaries are warned that those forcibly arrested may never be allowed to return.

The move is part of a broader policy under President Donald Trump, aimed at ending legal protections for nationals from multiple countries, including Haiti, Venezuela, Somalia, and South Sudan. As of March 2025, roughly 1.3 million people held TPS in the US.

The State Department, however, continues to advise against travel to Ethiopia due to “sporadic violent conflict, civil unrest, crime, terrorism, kidnapping, and communication disruptions.” Multiple regions remain unsafe, and the US embassy may be unable to assist with departures if the situation deteriorates.

Authorities justified the termination by citing recent peace agreements, including the 2022 ceasefire in Tigray and a December 2024 deal in Oromia. The Federal Register notice also cited improvements in healthcare, food security, and reductions in internal displacement as evidence of recovery. Nonetheless, the notice acknowledged “sporadic and episodic violence” and raised concerns about visa overstays and unspecified national security investigations involving some TPS holders.

Critics argue the policy shows racial selectivity, highlighting that while protections for Ethiopians and other non-white nations are being terminated, the administration simultaneously introduced a refugee program for white South Africans of Afrikaner ethnicity. Observers, including Scott Lucas of University College Dublin, called the contrast “a perverse honesty” about the administration’s priorities.

Legal challenges have been filed against several TPS terminations, and courts have temporarily blocked some decisions. During the 60-day transition period, Ethiopian nationals can continue to work. The administration is offering a “complimentary plane ticket” and a $1,000 exit bonus for voluntary departures reported via a mobile app.

The termination of TPS for Ethiopian nationals underscores the Trump administration’s continued focus on immigration control as a central aspect of its national security strategy, a policy approach that has drawn widespread criticism both domestically and internationally.
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ethiopia

Deportation

USImmigration

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