FULL LIST: US ends temporary protection for four African countries
August 16, 2026 10:22 am
US President Donald Trump (Photo by ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
The administration of United States President Donald Trump has terminated Temporary Protected Status for nationals of Somalia, South Sudan, Cameroon and Ethiopia living in the United States.
The move marks a further rollback of the humanitarian immigration programme that has allowed eligible foreign nationals to remain and work legally amid conditions in their home countries.
According to alerts updated on the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website on August 14 and sighted on Sunday, Somalia and South Sudan became the latest countries to be delisted after their designations ended effectively on August 14 and August 7, 2026, respectively.
USCIS said the decisions followed determinations by former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem that the countries no longer met the statutory conditions for TPS.
“After reviewing country conditions and consulting with the appropriate U.S. government agencies, former Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem determined that Somalia no longer met the conditions for its designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS),” the USCIS alert states.
The agency said, “The Somalia TPS designation is terminated, effective August 14, 2026.”
Similarly, it said Noem determined that South Sudan no longer met the conditions for TPS, adding, “The South Sudan TPS designation is terminated, effective Aug. 7, 2026.”
TPS is a temporary humanitarian protection that allows eligible nationals of designated countries already in the US to remain in the country when conditions such as armed conflict, environmental disasters or other extraordinary circumstances prevent their safe return.
According to USCIS, beneficiaries of TPS are protected from removal, can obtain employment authorisation and may be granted travel authorisation during the designated period.
However, TPS does not lead to lawful permanent resident status or confer any other immigration status.
The termination of TPS does not automatically mean that every affected beneficiary will be deported, as individuals may have another lawful immigration status or qualify for another form of immigration protection.
Full list of countries whose TPS status has been terminated:
- Haiti
- Syria
- Yemen
- Afghanistan
- Cameroon
- Nepal
- Honduras
- Nicaragua
- Venezuela
- South Sudan
- Myanmar
- Somalia
The USCIS also noted that TPS designations for some other countries remain subject to litigation.
For example, it said Ethiopia’s TPS termination was stayed by a federal judge in Massachusetts in January 2026, while the government was considering its next steps.
The agency similarly noted that court proceedings have affected the status of TPS terminations for Honduras, Nepal and Nicaragua.
The latest decisions form part of the Trump administration’s broader review of TPS designations.
Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.
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