Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration from Revoking TPS for Ethiopians

A federal judge has issued a ruling preventing the Trump administration from revoking Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 5,000 Ethiopians residing in the United States. District Judge Brian Murphy determined that President Trump's attempt to end these protections ignored statutory procedures established by Congress. The judge emphasized that presidential authority cannot supersede legislative will or replace agency obligations with 'whims.' This decision serves as a significant legal setback for the administration's broader campaign to terminate TPS designations for nationals of 13 countries, which it claims are necessary to restore integrity to the immigration system. The ruling specifically criticized an executive order signed in January 2025 as providing a pretextual basis for termination rather than a meaningful review of conditions in Ethiopia. While the DHS defended the administration's actions, the court maintained that the outcome of such decisions must be based on actual in-country conditions, not preordained political goals.