Federal Judge Postpones Trump Administration's Termination of TPS for Ethiopia

By Alex Nitzberg

*April 9, 2026*

A federal judge in Massachusetts has granted a motion to delay the Trump administration's termination of temporary protected status (TPS) for Ethiopians pending resolution of a related lawsuit.

U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy, who was nominated by President Joe Biden in 2024, ruled on April 8 that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) did not follow the process required by Congress for ending the TPS designation. "Plaintiffs brought suit to challenge the lawfulness of the termination, arguing that Defendants had violated the TPS statute, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the Equal Protection Clause. Before the Court is Plaintiffs’ motion to postpone the effective date of the termination pending resolution of the merits. Because Defendants terminated Ethiopia’s TPS designation without regard for the process delineated by Congress, the Court will grant Plaintiffs’ motion," Murphy wrote in his memorandum and order.

TPS for Ethiopia was first designated in 2011 due to ongoing armed conflict in the country. The program has been extended multiple times since then, including by the Biden administration in 2022 and 2024. As of 2025, it covered approximately 4,540 individuals living in the United States.

Last year, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced the termination of Ethiopia's TPS designation, effective February 13, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. The notice cited several reasons, including the absence of ongoing armed conflict posing a threat to nationals' safety, resolution of extraordinary and temporary conditions that prompted the original designation, and U.S. national interest considerations. DHS pointed to high visa overstay rates among Ethiopians, security concerns, and instances of benefits fraud as factors.

Murphy's order emphasized adherence to statutory requirements. "Fundamental to this case — and indeed to our constitutional system — is the principle that the will of the President does not supersede that of Congress. Presidential whims do not and cannot supplant agencies’ statutory obligations," the judge wrote. He added, "The Constitution requires that the President 'take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed,' a directive which includes enforcing the laws in accordance with congressional commands. And administrative agencies granted executive authority by Congress may operate only within the bounds Congress has set. Yet, in this case, Defendants have disregarded both that foundational principle and the statutory scheme enacted by Congress."

The ruling comes amid reports of recent violence in Ethiopia's Tigray region. Clashes occurred there from January 29 to February 1, 2026, involving Ethiopian government forces, militias, and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), highlighting ongoing instability despite DHS's assessment of improved conditions.

Fox News Digital contacted the White House for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

A DHS spokesperson responded to the ruling in a statement, saying it represented an effort to block the administration's immigration policies. The spokesperson noted, "Temporary means temporary. Country conditions—including armed conflicts—in Ethiopia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law’s requirement for Temporary Protected Status. The Trump administration is putting Americans first."

The case challenges the lawfulness of the termination under the TPS statute, Administrative Procedure Act, and Equal Protection Clause, with plaintiffs arguing procedural violations.

*Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.*

*(Word count: 512)*