Court Blocks Trump-Era Move to End Ethiopian Protections

A federal judge has halted the Trump administration's plan to end Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopians in the U.S., citing unresolved conflicts back home. This decision challenges Homeland Security's efforts to terminate TPS for multiple countries under Trump's immigration policies, ahead of a Supreme Court case evaluating protections for other nationalities.

A federal judge has paused the Trump administration's effort to terminate legal protections for over 5,000 Ethiopians residing in the United States under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program.

This order is the latest legal challenge against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which aims to rescind TPS from 13 countries as part of Trump's strict immigration policies. TPS is designed to assist individuals from nations grappling with natural disasters, conflicts, or extraordinary events, providing work authorization and temporary deportation protection.

The decision comes as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to evaluate the administration's ability to revoke similar protections for over 350,000 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians. Despite prior moves under former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to end TPS for Ethiopia, citing improved safety conditions, plaintiffs argue these efforts stem from unconstitutional bias against non-white immigrants.

(With inputs from agencies.)