Judge blocks Trump administration's attempt to remove temporary protection for Ethiopians
Ruling underscores that presidential decisions must follow the law and halts the cancellation of Temporary Protected Status for thousands of migrants.
Demonstration calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
A federal court blocked the President's administration's attempt Donald Trump to end the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) granted to thousands of Ethiopian citizens since 2022, in a decision that reignites the debate over the limits of executive power in immigration matters.
Federal Judge Brian Murphy, an appointee during Joe Biden's term in office, issued a ruling Wednesday questioning the legality of the government-driven measure. According to the magistrate, the cancellation of the program by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was based on "pretextual" arguments and did not respect the procedures established by Congress, explained Reuters.
"The will of the President does not trump that of Congress," Murphy stated in his ruling, underscoring a key principle of the U.S. constitutional system. "Presidential whims cannot and should not supersede agencies' statutory duties."
A measure under legal scrutiny
The case arose following an executive order signed in January 2025 by Trump, instructing Secretary of State Marco Rubio, along with the attorney general and the head of DHS, to restrict the scope of TPS under existing law.
TPS, contemplated in the Immigration and Nationality Act, allows citizens of countries affected by conflict or disaster to remain temporarily in the United States without risk of deportation. In this case, the program benefited thousands of citizens of Ethiopia.
According to Reuters, the judge found that the decision to cancel this protection did not meet legal requirements and lacked sound justification.
DHS warnings and judicial reaction
In December, the Department of Homeland Security officially announced the end of TPS for Ethiopian citizens. In its statement, it warned that those who had no other legal basis to remain in the country would have 60 days to leave voluntarily.
Likewise, the DHS indicated that, as of Feb. 13, the affected migrants could face arrest and deportation once their status is revoked.
For its part, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services argued that TPS "was never intended as a path to permanent residency" and argued that conditions in Ethiopia no longer posed a serious threat to its citizens.
However, the court ruling puts these measures on hold and opens the door to a broader legal proceeding over the executive's authority to manage immigration programs.
A debate with broader implications
While the litigation continues, thousands of migrants remain awaiting a final resolution that will determine their future in the United States, in an increasingly polarized political and legal context.
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