Federal Judge Delays Termination of TPS for Ethiopia

A federal judge has put a hold on the Trump administration’s decision to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopia. This ruling comes as plaintiffs filed a lawsuit questioning the legality of such a termination, asserting that it violated the TPS Act, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the Equal Protection Clause.

Judge Brian Murphy, serving in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, noted that the court had approved the plaintiffs’ request to delay the termination while the legal matters are sorted out. It seems that the defendants ignored Congressional procedures when they removed Ethiopia’s TPS designation. Murphy stated in his ruling that the plaintiffs’ motion would be granted.

According to court announcements, Judge Murphy was nominated by President Biden in 2024.

Last year, Kristi Noem, then Secretary of Homeland Security, had indicated that TPS for Ethiopia would be terminated at 11:59 p.m. on February 13. However, this action was stalled due to ongoing legal disputes.

In a memorandum dated April 8, Murphy emphasized that the Constitution mandates the President to ensure that laws are executed faithfully. He pointed out that the executive agencies must operate within the limits set by Congress, arguing that in this instance, the defendants disregarded both legal requirements and the established system.

While Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and the Department of Homeland Security for comments, the DHS expressed that the ruling represents a broader issue of judicial activism, claiming that it’s stalling efforts to restore legal immigration processes in the U.S. They argued that conditions in Ethiopia have improved and that the TPS designation should no longer apply, suggesting that “temporary means temporary.”