The United States has further reviewed its humanitarian immigration programme by ending the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for foreign nationals.
Those affected by the latest development include four African nationals of Somalia, South Sudan, Cameroon, and Ethiopia.
The decision followed a review by former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who found that the countries no longer met the statutory conditions for TPS.
themomentng reports that a total of twelve countries are affected by the action by President Donald Trump’s administration, a return to its initial policy that allowed eligible foreign nationals to remain and work legally amid conditions in their home countries.
As seen on the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website over the weekend, Somalia and South Sudan became the latest countries to be delisted after their designations ended effectively on August 14 and August 7, 2026, respectively.
“After reviewing country conditions and consulting with the appropriate U.S. government agencies, former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem determined that Somalia no longer met the conditions for its designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS),” the USCIS alert states.
The agency said, “The Somalia TPS designation is terminated, effective August 14, 2026.”
Similarly, it said Noem determined that South Sudan no longer met the conditions for TPS, adding, “The South Sudan TPS designation is terminated, effective Aug. 7, 2026.”
Naija News understands that in the United States, TPS stands as a temporary humanitarian immigration status granted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to eligible foreign nationals from designated countries experiencing unsafe conditions, such as armed conflict, environmental disasters, or epidemics.
However, TPS does not lead to lawful permanent resident status or confer any other immigration status. It also doesn’t mean affected persons will be deported, as they may explore other immigration options.
According to USCIS, TPS beneficiaries are protected from removal, can obtain employment authorisation, and may be granted travel authorisation during the designated period.
In the latest update, USCIS also noted that TPS designations for some other countries remain subject to litigation. For example, it said Ethiopia’s TPS termination was stayed by a federal judge in Massachusetts in January 2026, while the government was considering its next steps.
The agency similarly noted that court proceedings have affected the status of TPS terminations for Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua.
Below is a list of countries whose TPS status has been terminated:
- Haiti
- Syria
- Yemen
- Afghanistan
- Cameroon
- Nepal
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Venezuela
- South Sudan
- Myanmar
- Somalia
