A federal judge in Boston postponed the Trump administration's termination of Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopians on Wednesday, finding that the Department of Homeland Security disregarded congressional requirements.

U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy, in a ruling issued April 8, 2026, granted a motion by plaintiffs to stay the termination under the Administrative Procedure Act. The order affects approximately 5,000 Ethiopians who hold TPS, preserving their protection from deportation and work authorization while litigation continues.

The case, African Communities Together et al. v. Noem et al., challenges DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's December 15, 2025, notice terminating Ethiopia's TPS designation effective February 13, 2026. Judge Murphy had previously issued a stay on January 30, 2026. TPS for Ethiopia was initially designated on December 12, 2022, amid armed conflict in the Tigray region and extended through June 2024.

In his memorandum, Murphy wrote that defendants terminated the designation "without regard for the process delineated by Congress," specifically failing to consult appropriate federal agencies as required by 8 U.S.C. § 1254a(b)(3)(A). He described the decision as pretextual, influenced by political directives rather than a genuine assessment of country conditions, which include ongoing armed conflicts and natural disasters.

"Fundamental to this case, and indeed to our constitutional system, is the principle that the will of the President does not supersede that of Congress," Murphy stated. "Presidential whims do not and cannot supplant agencies’ statutory obligations."

DHS argued that conditions in Ethiopia have improved enough that the country no longer qualifies for TPS, emphasizing that the program is meant to be temporary. A department spokesperson called the ruling "the latest example of judicial activists trying to prevent President Trump from restoring integrity to America’s legal immigration system."

Amaha Kassa, executive director of African Communities Together, one of the plaintiffs, said, "We are celebrating alongside over 5,000 of our neighbors who can finally exhale and get back to their lives." The group contends the termination violates the TPS statute, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the Equal Protection Clause.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services notes that employment authorization documents for Ethiopians expiring June 12, 2024, or December 12, 2025, remain valid per the court orders. DHS has indicated it disagrees with the rulings and is consulting the Justice Department on next steps.

The decision comes amid broader Trump administration efforts to end TPS for multiple countries, including Haiti and Syria, with related cases potentially heading to the Supreme Court.