Judge blocks US gov’t move to end deportation protections for Ethiopians

Ruling delays February 13 deadline affecting 5,000 people amid wider legal challenges to Trump’s immigration crackdown.Published On 31 Jan 2026A federal judge has halted the Trump administration’s plan to strip deportation protections from thousands of Ethiopians living in the United States.Judge Brian Murphy in Boston issued the order on Friday, delaying a February 13 deadline that would have forced more than 5,000 Ethiopians to leave the country or face arrest.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3US to end deportation protections for Somalislist 2 of 3ICE, Ilhan Omar and Somalis: Unpacking Trump’s obsession with Minnesotalist 3 of 3Trump strips legal protections from Ethiopian refugees in latest crackdownend of listThe ruling represents the latest legal setback to the administration’s broader push to end temporary protections for more than one million people across multiple countries.Murphy’s decision came during a virtual hearing, where he 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.“I want to do everything I can to keep this case going,” the judge said.The case was brought by three Ethiopian nationals and the advocacy group African Communities Together, who filed suit after the DHS announced in December it was terminating the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) first granted to Ethiopia in 2022.The lawsuit argues the administration unlawfully ended the protections with just 60 days’ notice despite ongoing armed conflict in the African nation.Plaintiffs also claim Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem acted based on an “unconstitutional animus against non-white immigrants”.The move came even as the State Department continues urging Americans to reconsider travel to Ethiopia due to “sporadic violent conflict, civil unrest, crime, communications disruptions, terrorism and kidnapping”.