Federal Judge Halts Plan to End Deportation Protections for Thousands of Ethiopians in U.S.
BOSTON – A federal judge in Boston intervened Friday to temporarily shield thousands of Ethiopian nationals from the imminent termination of a program that protects them from deportation, marking a significant legal setback for the Biden administration’s immigration policy.
U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy issued an administrative stay, delaying the Department of Homeland Security’s planned February 13 end to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 5,000 Ethiopians. The order provides additional time for the court to review a lawsuit filed by immigrant advocates who argue the termination was unlawful and rushed.
“I want to do everything I can to keep this case going,” Judge Murphy said during a virtual hearing. He indicated the stay would allow DHS time to produce internal records detailing how it reached its decision to end Ethiopia’s TPS designation—a move announced in December citing improved conditions in the African nation.
The lawsuit, filed last week by three Ethiopian nationals and the advocacy group African Communities Together, contends that DHS acted unlawfully by terminating protections first granted in 2022. Plaintiffs argue that despite official claims of improved stability, ongoing armed conflict and humanitarian crises in Ethiopia make return unsafe. They also allege the decision was motivated by “unconstitutional animus against non-white immigrants.”
TPS is a humanitarian immigration program that offers work permits and deportation relief to nationals of countries facing natural disasters, armed conflict, or other extraordinary conditions. Over the past decade, the program has become politically contentious, with critics calling it an overextended “de facto amnesty” and advocates defending it as a lifeline for vulnerable communities.
Judge Murphy, a Biden appointee, set the stage for further arguments once DHS submits its administrative record, which government lawyers said could take weeks. The Justice Department had opposed even a temporary delay, arguing against judicial interference in an executive branch determination.
The ruling highlights the ongoing tension between the administration’s efforts to streamline immigration programs and legal pushback from immigrant rights groups. It also reflects broader patterns of litigation around TPS, which has faced repeated termination attempts under both Trump and Biden administrations for countries including Haiti, Honduras, and Sudan.
DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.
Voices & Reactions
“This ruling is a relief, but it’s a temporary Band-Aid. The administration is using the same playbook as the prior one—trying to strip protections from Black and brown immigrants under the guise of ‘improved conditions.’ The fighting in Ethiopia hasn’t stopped. Sending people back into a conflict zone is inhumane.”
– Amina Hassan, immigration attorney at Rights Without Borders
“The judge is right to demand transparency. DHS can’t just snap its fingers and upend thousands of lives without showing its homework. This isn’t about open borders—it’s about due process and whether the government followed its own rules.”
– Professor David Chen, policy analyst at the Migration Studies Institute
“It’s outrageous. TPS was never meant to be permanent. Every extension creates a magnet for more illegal immigration. The administration cited clear evidence of improved stability. This judicial overreach undermines both the rule of law and the integrity of our immigration system.”
– Congressman Mark Tolbert (R-AZ), House Immigration Subcommittee
“As an Ethiopian TPS holder, this means my family can breathe for a few more weeks. We’ve built lives here, paid taxes, and contributed. We’re not asking for forever—just for safety until there’s real peace at home.”
– Selamawit Gebre, nurse and plaintiff in the case