Press Statement | December 19, 2025

Statement on the Termination of Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopia

Arlington, Va. (12.19.25) – The Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) raises serious concerns regarding the decision by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Ethiopian nationals. This decision carries significant implications, particularly in light of the apparent inconsistency between DHS’s stated justification and the U.S. government’s own assessments of conditions in Ethiopia.

As recently as September 2025, the Trump Administration formally continued the National Emergency with respect to Ethiopia, an emergency declared in response to ongoing armed conflict, large-scale displacement, serious human rights concerns, and threats to regional and international stability. The continuation of this designation reflects the U.S. government’s determination that extraordinary and concerning conditions persist in the country. Against this backdrop, DHS’s assertion that “conditions in Ethiopia no longer pose a serious threat to the personal safety of returning Ethiopian nationals” is difficult to reconcile with the government’s own findings.

The simultaneous maintenance of a National Emergency, triggering sanctions, heightened diplomatic engagement, and extraordinary executive measures, while concluding that conditions are sufficiently safe to require the return of individuals protected under TPS presents a clear policy inconsistency. Ending TPS for Ethiopia under these circumstances raises serious concerns regarding the soundness and coherence of this approach.

Ethiopia continues to face significant challenges, including ongoing conflict in parts of the country, a severe humanitarian crisis, widespread internal displacement, restrictions on humanitarian access, and concerns regarding political freedoms. In light of these realities, the conclusion that returning civilians would no longer face serious risks to their safety is not supported by current conditions on the ground.

This decision must also be viewed within the broader context of recent policy changes that have resulted in the narrowing of U.S. humanitarian protections, particularly for African nationals. The cumulative effect of these actions, including the removal of longstanding forms of protection, raises serious concerns that vital immigration safeguards are steadily eroding, leaving vulnerable populations with increasingly limited avenues for protection.

Terminating TPS in this context raises substantial humanitarian concerns and risks undermining the core purpose of the program, which is to ensure that the United States does not return individuals to countries experiencing extraordinary and temporary conditions that make safe return untenable. Accordingly, ECDC respectfully urges DHS to reconsider its decision to terminate TPS for Ethiopia.