US Ends TPS for Cameroon, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan

The Trump administration has terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Cameroon, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan living in the United States, as part of a wider move to roll back humanitarian immigration protections.

The decision affects eligible nationals of the four African countries who have relied on TPS to remain and work legally in the US. Those without another valid immigration status could lose their legal protection and face immigration proceedings.

TPS is a temporary humanitarian programme that allows nationals of designated countries to remain in the US when conditions such as armed conflict, natural disasters or other extraordinary circumstances make it unsafe for them to return home. The status does not provide permanent residency or a direct route to US citizenship.

The latest decisions are part of a broader rollback that has affected TPS designations for nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen.

For individuals who do not have another lawful basis to remain in the country, the termination of TPS could result in the loss of employment authorisation and increase the risk of removal from the US.

However, the end of TPS does not automatically mean that every affected individual will be deported. People with pending immigration applications, ongoing legal claims or eligibility for other forms of protection may still have grounds to remain in the country.

The administration's actions represent a significant shift in the use of TPS, which was designed as a temporary measure but has been repeatedly extended for several countries because of prolonged conflicts, instability and humanitarian emergencies.

Somalia, for instance, was first designated for TPS in 1991 following the collapse of its central government and subsequently received multiple extensions. South Sudan and Ethiopia were also granted protections amid continuing conflict, instability and humanitarian crises.

With the latest terminations, thousands of affected nationals face uncertainty over their immigration status, employment and ability to remain legally in the United States.