{
  "id": 1958401,
  "title": "Trump administration can target Ethiopians for deportation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/19/trump-administration-can-target-ethiopians-for-deportation",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-19T15:11:19.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC World",
    "slug": "bbc-world",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c39e8zy12pyo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A federal judge has ruled the Trump administration can terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for around 5,000 Ethiopians residing in the US. Homeland Security declared these individuals are in the country illegally following the decision, and they have two choices: depart immediately or face deportation. US District Judge Brian Murphy's ruling came after the Supreme Court in June revoked similar protections for thousands from Haiti and Syria.\n\nPresident Donald Trump has targeted the cancellation of TPS for over a dozen countries as part of his broader immigration enforcement strategy. The Supreme Court lifted a temporary halt that had prevented the administration from ending TPS for Ethiopians. Ethiopia was the final nation where the Trump administration discontinued TPS - a designation granted to individuals who flee their homelands due to extraordinary circumstances, such as natural disasters and armed conflict. The relief provides temporary work authorization and shields individuals from deportation.\n\nThe Department of Homeland Security's general counsel, James Percival, expressed satisfaction with the decision on X, stating: \"All TPS terminations are in effect!\" Ethiopian nationals who attempted to retain TPS and the advocacy group African Communities Together expressed dismay, asserting the ruling creates new dangers. The ongoing crisis in Ethiopia remains a concern, and this decision puts thousands of Ethiopians living in the US at significant risk, said Diana Konaté, the group's deputy executive director of policy and advocacy to Reuters.\n\nThe judge dismissed some claims in the lawsuit but permitted plaintiffs to continue litigation over whether the cancellation was driven by racial or national origin bias, which would contravene the US Constitution. Ethiopia initially received TPS in December 2022 under then-President Joe Biden's administration due to armed conflict, including the Tigray war. At the time, the government estimated that more than 20,000 displaced individuals who had been in the US continuously since October 2022 would qualify for the designation.\n\nTensions in Ethiopia escalated as the federal government and Tigrayan leaders disputed the 2022 Pretoria Agreement, which ended a long-standing civil war that claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands. The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) aimed to restore the prewar regional government and disband the interim administration appointed by Prime Minister Ahmed Abiy's government. The federal government consistently accused Tigrayan leader of collaborating with neighboring Eritrea and the Sudanese military. These ongoing disputes have also increased concerns that Eritrea might become involved, potentially sparking broader regional unrest. Ethiopia continues to face armed insurgencies in Oromia and Amhara, the country's two most populous regional states.",
  "summary": "A judge's ruling on Tuesday removed the last remaining block on Trump officials' efforts to cancel Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopians.",
  "key_points": [
    "Trump administration can terminate TPS for 5,000 Ethiopians.",
    "US District Judge Brian Murphy rules in favor of deportation.",
    "Ethiopian nationals face immediate departure or deportation."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}