Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration's Plan to Strip Deportation Protections from Ethiopians
A federal judge in Boston has halted a plan by the Trump administration to strip deportation protections from thousands of Ethiopians living in the US. The decision, which comes just days before a February 13 deadline that would have forced over 5,000 Ethiopians to leave the country or face arrest, provides a temporary reprieve for those affected.
The ruling, issued by Judge Brian Murphy on Friday, delays the deadline and gives the Department of Homeland Security time to produce records explaining its decision-making process. Murphy stated his intention to "do everything I can" to keep the case going, indicating that he is likely to block the move for longer.
The decision represents a significant legal setback for the administration's broader push to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than one million people across multiple countries. The ruling comes on the heels of a similar decision earlier this week, when a federal appeals court found that the administration had unlawfully ended protections for 600,000 Venezuelans.
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 TPS for Ethiopia. The lawsuit argues that the administration's decision to end the protections was unlawful, given the ongoing armed conflict in the African nation, and that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem acted based on an "unconstitutional animus against non-white immigrants."
The termination of TPS for Ethiopia has been met with criticism from lawmakers and advocacy groups, who argue that it is unfair and threatens the lives of thousands of people who have lived in the US for years. The move comes despite a warning from the State Department about the safety risks facing Americans traveling to Ethiopia.
As protests rock the US against the Trump administration's deportation drive, following the killing of two American citizens by immigration enforcement agents in Minnesota this month, the decision represents a glimmer of hope for those who have been affected by the policy.
A federal judge in Boston has halted a plan by the Trump administration to strip deportation protections from thousands of Ethiopians living in the US. The decision, which comes just days before a February 13 deadline that would have forced over 5,000 Ethiopians to leave the country or face arrest, provides a temporary reprieve for those affected.
The ruling, issued by Judge Brian Murphy on Friday, delays the deadline and gives the Department of Homeland Security time to produce records explaining its decision-making process. Murphy stated his intention to "do everything I can" to keep the case going, indicating that he is likely to block the move for longer.
The decision represents a significant legal setback for the administration's broader push to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than one million people across multiple countries. The ruling comes on the heels of a similar decision earlier this week, when a federal appeals court found that the administration had unlawfully ended protections for 600,000 Venezuelans.
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 TPS for Ethiopia. The lawsuit argues that the administration's decision to end the protections was unlawful, given the ongoing armed conflict in the African nation, and that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem acted based on an "unconstitutional animus against non-white immigrants."
The termination of TPS for Ethiopia has been met with criticism from lawmakers and advocacy groups, who argue that it is unfair and threatens the lives of thousands of people who have lived in the US for years. The move comes despite a warning from the State Department about the safety risks facing Americans traveling to Ethiopia.
As protests rock the US against the Trump administration's deportation drive, following the killing of two American citizens by immigration enforcement agents in Minnesota this month, the decision represents a glimmer of hope for those who have been affected by the policy.
so like there was this plan to deport all these ethiopians living in the us and it's literally gonna affect 5k people... that's crazy! i don't get why they would do something like that, doesn't everyone deserve a home? 
what's going on with trump administration and tps, can someone explain it to me again? 
and btw, this decision is like super temporary so there's still hope for those affected... but also, isn't this just a bigger part of the deportation problems in the us? 
, like finally someone is standing up to these trump ppl and their deportation policies are messed up tbh... I mean like, how can they just strip people of their protections because of some politics? It's not right 
... These Ethiopians have been living here for years, building their lives, and then BAM! They're being kicked out. That's not justice, that's injustice 
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... This judge decision is like, a small victory, but we gotta keep pushing for change.
... And btw, has anyone seen the protests in other cities? I wanna see some change 
This is so interesting! Like, can you believe that there's actually someone who has to deal with all these complicated paperwork and rules just to keep people from getting deported? And now they're going to review their decision-making process... sounds like a major headache for them. Meanwhile, thousands of Ethiopians are still breathing a sigh of relief 
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It's just not right.
. I mean, we've seen similar decisions in cases involving Venezuelans and other groups, so it's clear that there are still some checks on power in our system of government.
. For those who have been affected by these policies, it means they can breathe a little easier for now 
. And let's hope that this kind of justice continues to roll down the halls of power 
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thousands of lives on the line just for politics? 
what's next, is he gonna deport people from other countries too? 
it's crazy how the administration is trying to strip away protections from ppl who have been living here for years and paying taxes just like everyone else 
anyway, this is a major win for the community and i'm glad to see people standing up against trump's policies 
just read that a federal judge blocked trump admin's plan to strip deportation protections from thousands of ethiopians living in the us... finally some good news 
. i'm glad to see that the judge is giving them a temporary reprieve... but let's hope it's not just a short-term fix 
. we need more progress on this issue, ASAP 
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. The fact that a federal judge stepped in and blocked this plan is a testament to the power of the judiciary and the importance of protecting human rights 
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like what would they do if they had to leave? i think its super unfair that they're being targeted just because of where they're from. and the fact that the admin is making these decisions without even considering the safety risks in Ethiopia is just crazy 
... can u imagine thousands of ppl from ethiopia living in us without fear of being deported? it's crazy how one judge's decision can change so much! 
. What sources say that the administration was even considering stripping these folks of their protection? And how did we even find out about this plan in the first place?