Overview
- Judge Brian Murphy in Boston, whose order Wednesday blocked DHS from terminating Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopia, said the agency ignored procedures set by Congress.
- The ruling finds former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem did not consult other agencies as the TPS law requires and says the stated rationale read as preordained rather than a real review of conditions.
- DHS had announced in December 2025 that Ethiopia’s TPS would end on February 13 and told those without another legal status they had 60 days to leave or face arrest and deportation.
- About 5,000 Ethiopians keep work permits and protection from removal while the case proceeds, easing immediate fears of job loss, detention, and forced return.
- The fight is part of wider TPS litigation, with Supreme Court arguments later in April on Haiti and Syria that could reset what courts may review in these terminations.