Federal Court Clears Way for Termination of Ethiopia TPS, EADs Set to Expire August 19
- Editorial Team
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 10 hours ago
BOSTON, August 18, 2026 — A federal district court in Massachusetts has lifted the stay that had blocked the Trump administration’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopia, allowing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to proceed with ending protections for approximately 5,000 Ethiopian nationals .
The ruling by U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy on August 18 means that employment authorization documents (EADs) for Ethiopian TPS beneficiaries are set to expire on August 19, 2026 . While the underlying lawsuit challenging the termination on constitutional grounds will continue, TPS benefits will cease for grantees from Ethiopia effective tomorrow .
Published: August 18, 2026 | By VisasUpdate.com Editorial Team
Key Details of the Ruling
Aspect | Details |
Court | U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts |
Judge | Brian E. Murphy |
Case | African Communities Together et al. v. Noem et al., 1:26-cv-10278 |
Ruling Date | August 18, 2026 |
Action | Stay lifted; TPS termination can proceed |
EAD Expiration | August 19, 2026 |
Affected Beneficiaries | ~5,000 Ethiopian nationals |
EADs Affected | Original expiration dates of June 12, 2024 or Dec. 12, 2025 |
Legal Background
Ethiopia was initially designated for TPS in December 2022, and this designation was extended in April 2024 for 18 months, from June 13, 2024, to December 12, 2025.
In December 2025, DHS announced 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 .
A lawsuit was filed by African Communities Together, asserting that the termination violated the plaintiffs’ right to equal protection under the Fifth Amendment and was procedurally flawed . In January 2026, the district court temporarily stayed the termination while litigation proceeded .
Supreme Court Impact
The current ruling follows the June 25, 2026 Supreme Court decision in Mullin v. Doe and Trump v. Miot, which held that federal courts are not permitted to review TPS determinations on non-constitutional grounds . The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to terminate TPS for Haiti and Syria, setting a precedent that has impacted ongoing litigation for Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and other countries .
Since January, USCIS has automatically extended the validity of Ethiopia TPS employment authorization several times, most recently through August 19, 2026, as courts took steps to implement the Supreme Court decision .
Impact on Ethiopian TPS Beneficiaries
Employment Authorization
EAD Original Expiration | Status |
June 12, 2024 | Valid through August 19, 2026 |
December 12, 2025 | Valid through August 19, 2026 |
Form I-9 and E-Verify Instructions
Under the court order, affected TPS Ethiopia beneficiaries should :
Enter "as per court order" in the expiration date field in Section 1 of Form I-9
Employers need to input August 19, 2026 in Section 2 and make a note in the Additional Information field
For E-Verify cases, employers should use August 19, 2026 as the work authorization expiration date
Warning from DHS
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin delivered a clear warning to those impacted by the decision:
"Temporary Protected Status is meant to be temporary. Once it expires, individuals are considered to be in the country illegally. They must either leave right away or face rapid deportation."
What Happens Next
The federal district court will proceed with hearing the plaintiffs' constitutional challenge regarding the end of TPS for Ethiopia. Nonetheless, TPS benefits for Ethiopian beneficiaries will end, and their employment authorization documents will expire on August 19.The ruling follows other recent court orders allowing the administration to end protections for TPS holders from Haiti, Somalia, Syria, and Myanmar, as part of the administration's ongoing immigration enforcement efforts .
Related News
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