The United States administration under President Donald Trump has terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of four African countries, raising concerns among affected immigrants who may no longer have protection from deportation or permission to work legally in the country.
The countries affected are Cameroon, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan, according to a report.
TPS is a humanitarian immigration programme that allows eligible citizens of designated countries already living in the US to remain temporarily and obtain employment authorisation when returning home is considered unsafe because of armed conflict, natural disasters or other extraordinary conditions.
The status, however, does not provide permanent residency or a direct route to US citizenship.
The latest decisions form part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to scale back the TPS programme, which has provided temporary protection to nationals of several countries over the years.
For beneficiaries whose TPS has ended, the loss of the status could expose them to immigration enforcement if they do not have another lawful basis to remain in the United States.
However, the termination of TPS does not automatically mean that every affected person will be deported. Individuals who have another valid immigration status, a pending application or another form of legal protection may still be permitted to remain in the country.
The policy shift has particularly heightened uncertainty among communities from Somalia, South Sudan, Cameroon and Ethiopia, whose members had relied on TPS to maintain legal residence and employment.
Somalia’s TPS protection was terminated on August 14, 2026, while South Sudan’s designation ended earlier in August, according to reports on the latest changes. Ethiopia’s TPS status has also become subject to legal uncertainty following the administration’s decision.
The wider list of countries whose TPS protections have been terminated or withdrawn under the administration’s rollback includes Haiti, Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Cameroon, Nepal, Honduras, Nicaragua, Venezuela, South Sudan, Myanmar and Somalia.
The programme was created as a temporary measure, but some designations have remained in place for years because conditions in the affected countries continued to meet the statutory requirements.
Somalia, for instance, has had TPS protection dating back to the aftermath of the country’s state collapse in 1991. South Sudan was similarly protected amid continuing conflict and humanitarian challenges.
The end of TPS means affected nationals without alternative legal status may have to seek other immigration options or face possible removal proceedings.
The developments have therefore left thousands of immigrants and their famillies facing uncertainty over their ability to remain and work legally in the United States.
Vanguard
