American Judge Allows Trump to End Legal Protection for Thousands of Ethiopians from Deportation

An American judge has allowed President Donald Trump’s administration to end legal protections for thousands of Ethiopians.

A federal judge on Tuesday permitted the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to terminate the legal protections granted to more than 5,000 Ethiopians, which allowed them to live and work in the United States.

U.S. District Court Judge Brian Murphy in Boston lifted the last barrier that judges had placed on the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for certain countries. This action came after the U.S. Supreme Court in June allowed the Trump administration to terminate similar protections that had been granted to thousands from Haiti and Syria.

The Supreme Court's decision, supported by a 6-3 conservative majority, limited judges' ability to review DHS actions aimed at ending TPS for 13 countries, which had provided humanitarian protection to eligible immigrants.

James Percival, the DHS's general counsel, welcomed the decision, stating in a social media post: "All TPS terminations are now in effect!"

"The lives of thousands of Ethiopians are at risk"

The termination of TPS for Ethiopians was opposed by Ethiopian citizens and the advocacy group African Communities Together, who expressed disappointment regarding Tuesday's decision.

"The crisis in Ethiopia is ongoing, and this decision puts the lives of thousands of Ethiopians living in the U.S. at great risk," said Diana Konaté, the deputy executive director of the organization focused on policy and advocacy.

TPS, as established by U.S. federal law, is available to individuals from countries that have experienced natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary conditions. It provides eligible individuals with work authorization and temporary protection from deportation.

The administration of former Democratic President Joe Biden first granted TPS to Ethiopians already in the U.S. starting in 2022, citing the need to protect Ethiopian citizens from armed conflict and humanitarian crises.

DHS, during the tenure of Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, announced in December that it would terminate that protection, claiming that conditions in Ethiopia no longer posed a significant threat to Ethiopians if they returned safely to their country.

Murphy blocked DHS's action in April, stating that the department had not followed proper legal procedures, and that the reason it used to terminate the protections was "pretextual."