United States: Termination of Ethiopia TPS Stayed for Now
February 13, 2026
Countries / Territories
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At a glance
- Though Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopia was scheduled to terminate today, a January 30 Massachusetts federal district court order has temporarily stayed the termination while litigation continues.
- USCIS has auto-extended the validity of employment authorization documents until further notice for certain Ethiopia TPS beneficiaries, according to the agency’s website.
- The government is likely to appeal the district court order.
A closer look
The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Ethiopia was slated to expire today, but a January 30 Massachusetts federal district court order has stayed the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) termination of the designation. While litigation challenging DHS’s termination continues, Ethiopia TPS beneficiaries will retain their TPS protections and benefits, including employment authorization. The case is African Communities Together et al. v. Noem et al., 1:26-cv-10278 (D. Mass., Jan. 22, 2026).
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website was updated today to reflect the court’s stay and the auto-extension of certain employment authorization documents (EAD) issued under the TPS designation of Ethiopia. USCIS announced that EADs for Ethiopia TPS beneficiaries with an original expiration date of June 12, 2024 and December 12, 2025 are auto-extended until further notice.
Background
Ethiopia was first designated for TPS in December 2022, and the designation was extended in April 2024 for an 18-month period, from June 13, 2024 through December 12, 2025.
In December 2025, DHS announced that it was not extending the designation, but would provide a 60-day transition period through February 13, 2026, during which beneficiaries would remain work-authorized.
What’s next for Ethiopia TPS
DHS is likely to appeal the district court stay to a higher court. Depending on the course of an appeal, employers may have a short window for Form I-9 reverification and re-employment for affected beneficiaries.
Fragomen is closely monitoring the Ethiopia TPS litigation and will provide updates as further developments occur.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.
