What is the future of Temporary Protected Status in the US?

Since taking office, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for multiple nationalities, particularly for those from outside Europe, who comprise most TPS recipients.

Some of his most vocal threats have been to TPS holders from Michigan's Somali community, calling them garbage multiple times, and Ohio's Haitian community, accusing them of eating house pets during his last presidential campaign.

The US government grants TPS to those already in the US from countries that would be too dangerous for them to return to due to armed conflict, environmental disaster or other extreme conditions. TPS has existed since 1990, following an act of Congress, and the humanitarian programme was later placed under the newly formed Department of Homeland Security in 2003.

According to Pew Research, as of March 2025, approximately 1.3 million people are enrolled in the TPS programme. This could change as the Trump administration ramps up deportation efforts.

Under the previous administration of Joe Biden, TPS was greatly expanded in light of conflicts during his term, including in Ukraine, Afghanistan and Syria. Though conflicts in these countries and others continue, Trump has called for ending TPS for most nationalities.

What rights do TPS holders have?

TPS gives people several important rights. These include having the authorisation to work during their temporary protected stay, protection from deportation, and the option to travel in and out of the US with proper documentation. As others present in the US, they have the protections guaranteed under the Constitution, such as free speech and due process.

Which nationalities had TPS when Trump started his second term?

When Trump took office for this second term, nationals from the following countries were eligible for TPS. These include Afghanistan, Burma, Cameroon, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Lebanon, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen.

What will happen to their TPS status?

There are four general baskets of categories for TPS termination. They are as follows:

Cases where TPS still exists and is still in a period of extension, meaning the government hasn’t yet made an announcement, but they are expected to terminate these cases, which are not yet up for review: El Salvador, Lebanon, Sudan, and Ukraine.

Countries where the review period was up, and the government announced it would be terminated, but, due to various court orders, the termination was postponed, meaning these nationalities still have TPS status: Burma, South Sudan, Syria, and Ethiopia.

Cases where termination was announced but no legal challenge has yet been filed: Somalia and Yemen.

In cases in which the government announced the termination of TPS, the termination was challenged but allowed to proceed, meaning these nationalities were no longer protected under CPS: Afghanistan, Cameroon, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.       

What happens if those who do not leave the US after their TPS expires?

Because most people in the US under TPS would likely face danger if they returned to their country of origin, many are likely to remain in the US without documentation. Those who stay in the US illegally would be much easier to deport.