Biden-Appointed Judge Lifts Block on Trump Administration’s Termination of Ethiopian TPS

Biden-appointed U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy has lifted his block on the Trump administration’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Ethiopians in the United States.

Murphy had previously blocked the termination, preventing the Department of Homeland Security from ending the protections while the legal challenge proceeded.

The Biden administration initially designated Ethiopia for TPS in 2022, allowing eligible Ethiopians to remain in the United States and receive protection from deportation along with work authorization. The designation was later extended in 2024.

After returning to office in January 2025, President Donald Trump’s administration moved to end the designation, arguing that TPS is intended to be temporary and that conditions no longer justified continuing the protections.

Murphy had ruled against the administration’s effort and previously maintained a block on the termination.

The Supreme Court’s subsequent ruling on TPS significantly limited the ability of lower federal courts to interfere with the administration’s termination decisions. Murphy has now lifted his block, allowing the Ethiopian TPS termination to proceed.

The judge’s latest ruling does not completely end the case. A separate claim alleging that the termination was motivated by racial or ethnic discrimination remains pending.

The decision is nevertheless a significant victory for the Trump administration and its efforts to end Biden-era immigration protections.

Murphy’s status as a Biden-appointed judge is also central to the political context surrounding the dispute, as his earlier rulings had prevented the administration from immediately implementing its TPS policy.