Boston: A US federal judge in Boston has authorized the Trump administration to strip deportation protections from roughly 5,000 Ethiopian nationals, paving the way for the total cancellation of their Temporary Protected Status (TPS).

According to Anadolu Agency, Judge Brian Murphy lifted a previous stay on the termination, a decision that was welcomed by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials. DHS General Counsel James Percival announced the decision on the US social media platform X, stating, "Judge Brian Murphy just lifted the stay of Ethiopia TPS termination. All TPS terminations are in effect!"

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin issued a stern warning to those affected by the ruling. He emphasized that Temporary Protected Status is inherently temporary, cautioning that individuals whose status has expired are now residing in the country illegally. Mullin outlined their options clearly: "leave immediately or be swiftly deported."

The recent judicial decision follows a determination made by former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, who concluded that Ethiopia no longer meets the criteria for a TPS designation. As a result, the status was set to be terminated effective February 13. However, a judge in the US District of Massachusetts had temporarily stayed her decision on January 30.

This ruling is consistent with June Supreme Court decisions that permitted the administration to end similar protections for thousands of individuals from Haiti and Syria.