Lidia Tamerat has watched her community transform over the decades she's lived in Colorado. As a leader with the Colorado Ethiopian Community, she's seen families build businesses, children graduate from American universities, and a diaspora network that spans from Aurora to downtown Denver. Now, she finds herself fighting to protect what they've all built. "It just doesn't make sense. We're business owners. We're part of the community," Tamerat told CBS Colorado, reflecting on the government's decision to terminate Ethiopia's Temporary Protected Status.
The Department of Homeland Security terminated Ethiopia's TPS designation in December 2025, setting a February 13, 2026 deadline that would have left approximately 5,000 Ethiopian TPS holders without protection from deportation. But U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston issued a preliminary injunction on January 30 in the case African Communities Together et al. v. Noem et al., halting the termination while legal challenges proceed through the courts. Under the court order, Employment Authorization Documents with expiration dates of June 12, 2024 and December 12, 2025 are automatically extended, according to immigration law firm Fragomen.
A Community Mobilized
The Ethiopian diaspora community, particularly in Colorado where an estimated 30,000 to 50,000 Ethiopians have settled, has been organizing since the termination was first announced. Community organizations like the Colorado Ethiopian Community have been coordinating legal resources, according to CBS Colorado. Information sessions have been held at Ethiopian Orthodox churches in Denver and Aurora, with edir networks — traditional mutual aid associations — helping distribute updates and connect families with immigration attorneys.
The contradiction between federal agencies lies at the heart of the legal challenge. While DHS officials determined that conditions in Ethiopia no longer warrant TPS protection, "the U.S. Department of State has a Level 3 Travel Advisory for Ethiopia right now," CBS Colorado reported. Al Jazeera noted that plaintiffs "claim Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem acted based on an 'unconstitutional animus against non-white immigrants.'"
The government's own position reveals this tension. "Conditions in Ethiopia no longer pose a serious threat to the personal safety of returning Ethiopian nationals," a USCIS spokesperson told CBS Colorado, adding that "Temporary Protected Status designations were never meant to be a ticket to permanent residency." Yet the State Department's travel advisory warns Americans against travel to Ethiopia due to civil unrest, communication disruptions, and potential for armed conflict, particularly in regions where renewed tensions threaten broader stability.
The Legal Landscape
Judge Murphy's preliminary injunction provides temporary relief while the court examines the government's decision-making process. According to Al Jazeera, the judge "said the delay would provide time for the Department of Homeland Security to produce records explaining its decision-making process before he considers blocking the move for longer." The case was brought by three Ethiopian nationals and the advocacy group African Communities Together.
DHS has stated it "vehemently disagrees" with the court's ruling and is working with the Department of Justice on an appeal, according to USCIS official communications. However, the appeals process could take months, leaving TPS holders in continued uncertainty about their long-term status.
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) has been particularly vocal in opposing the termination, arguing in their official statement that the designation should be extended rather than terminated given Ethiopia's ongoing instability.
