The Temporary Status Sunset: Somalia and Ethiopia TPS Termination

The Return to Normalcy Mandate

In January 2026, the US Department of Homeland Security announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalia and Ethiopia. Effective March 2026, thousands of individuals who have lived and worked legally in the US for years will see their work authorization expire and their protection from removal revoked. This marks a significant shift in US policy: the 2026 administration is moving away from the "rolling renewal" of TPS, treating the status as strictly temporary and ending it the moment conditions in the home country are deemed to have minimally stabilized.

The 60-Day Scramble

The termination creates a 60-day window for affected individuals to either find an alternative legal status (such as an employment-based visa or asylum) or prepare for departure. A quiet but devastating detail is the retroactive scrutiny of these individuals. As they attempt to switch to other visas, DHS is re-examining their original entry and any minor violations over the years. Many find that their long-term stay under TPS has left them with "unlawful presence" bars that were merely suspended, not erased, making it nearly impossible to transition to a green card without departing the US.

• Work Authorization Expiry: EADs based on these TPS designations will not be extended, forcing employers to terminate staff immediately upon the sunset date.
• The "Stabilization" Criteria: The decision to terminate is based on a narrow assessment of current security, often ignoring long-term humanitarian issues or economic collapse in the home country.
• Operation PARRIS: In tandem with these terminations, a new specialized unit is re-examining refugee and TPS files in states like Minnesota, searching for any inconsistency that could lead to immediate deportation.

The Human Capital Loss

The trade-off of this "strict constructionist" view of TPS is the loss of established members of the American workforce. Many of these individuals have built businesses, bought homes, and filled critical roles in the healthcare and transportation sectors. By prioritizing the literal interpretation of "temporary," the 2026 policy values enforcement over economic stability. For the migrant, the lesson of 2026 is that TPS is no longer a bridge to a permanent life in America; it is a precarious status that can be revoked with very little notice, requiring a constant "Plan B" for legal residency.