​US Terminates TPS for Cameroon, Ethiopia,Somalia,and South Sudan

​WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has officially terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of four African nations—Cameroon, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan—living in the United States.

​The sweeping shift is part of a broader, aggressive rollback of humanitarian immigration programs that has impacted more than a million foreign nationals across 13 designated countries.

​According to recent updates from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), terminations for Somalia and South Sudan took effect following determinations that these nations no longer met the statutory conditions for ongoing relief. Similar terminations and rollbacks target Cameroon and Ethiopia, though aspects of those implementations have faced complex legal challenges.

​A Decade-Long Precedent Upended

​Established under the Immigration Act of 1990, TPS serves as a temporary humanitarian safeguard allowing foreign nationals to live and work legally in the U.S. when ongoing armed conflicts, natural disasters, or extraordinary crises make safe return impossible.

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​While the program was explicitly designed as a temporary fix, many of these African designations had been extended repeatedly over decades. Somalia, for instance, first received TPS in 1991 following the total collapse of its central government, while South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Cameroon were granted protections in response to severe localized conflicts and humanitarian emergencies.

​The current administration, however, has maintained that long-standing designations violate the temporary intent of the program and that conditions have improved sufficiently to warrant winding them down.

​Uncertainty and the Risk of Removal

​The sudden revocation of TPS strips affected individuals of their legal standing and employment authorization, throwing thousands of professionals, families, and community members into legal limbo.

​Immigration attorneys emphasize that while the expiration of TPS does not trigger immediate, automatic deportation for every holder, those lacking alternative lawful status face severe risks of removal. Individuals with pending asylum claims, other active humanitarian protections, or alternative visa pathways may still maintain a legal basis to remain, but those without backup options are bracing for profound disruption.

​As notices take effect, affected diaspora communities and advocacy groups are scrambling to navigate alternative legal strategies, compounding anxiety over future work authorization and stability in the United States.