Federal District Court Vacates Injunction on Ethiopian Temporary Protected Status Rescission

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy issued an order on Tuesday vacating the preliminary injunction that had temporarily prevented the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for nationals of Ethiopia.

Judicial Rationale and Statutory Authority

In a 42-page memorandum opinion, Judge Murphy ruled that the Immigration and Nationality Act grants the Secretary of Homeland Security broad, non-reviewable discretionary authority to determine whether country conditions warrant the continuation or termination of TPS humanitarian protections.

The court determined that plaintiffs failed to demonstrate that the administrative record was fatally tainted by unconstitutional animus, finding that DHS followed procedural requirements in conducting its statutory 60-day country assessment.

Constituent Impact on Beneficiaries and Work Authorizations

The ruling directly impacts an estimated 32,000 Ethiopian nationals residing in the United States, whose Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) and deportation deferrals were slated to lapse on August 19, 2026. Immigrant legal defense organizations noted that affected individuals must now seek alternative legal pathways, such as asylum or employer sponsorship, or prepare for potential administrative removal proceedings.

Advocates in major Ethiopian diaspora hubs in the Washington metropolitan area, Dallas, and Seattle criticized the decision, highlighting ongoing regional conflict and drought in the Horn of Africa.

Emergency Appellate Motion Filed

Immigrant advocacy organizations immediately filed an emergency motion for an administrative stay and an expedited appeal before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.