Federal Court Order Temporarily Halts Termination of TPS for Ethiopia

Key Point 

• A federal court has issued a stay preventing the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopia, and DHS has confirmed that TPS‑related protections and EAD validity remain in place while litigation continues. 

TPS for Ethiopia 

On January 30, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued an order staying DHS’s decision to terminate TPS for Ethiopia, temporarily preserving TPS protections and employment authorization for eligible beneficiaries. DHS and E‑Verify publicly confirmed the stay in an April 7, 2026, update, noting that a “judge in the U.S. District of Massachusetts stayed the Secretary’s TPS termination decision.”

As a result, TPS for Ethiopia did not terminate on February 13, 2026, as previously scheduled. A court order now recognizes Ethiopia TPS‑based employment authorization documents (EADs) expiring on June 12, 2024 and December 12, 2025, as valid.

DHS has also issued updated Form I‑9 and E‑Verify instructions for employers. When completing Form I‑9, employers must enter “as per court order” in Section 1 and use April 13, 2026, as the expiration date in Section 2, along with a notation referencing the court‑ordered extension.

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