Somali TPS Ending
Massachusetts Judge Clears Path to End Somali TPS, Impacting 1,100 Beneficiaries
Key Points
The lawsuit was brought by four Somali TPS holders and two advocacy groups—African Communities Together and Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans—and the judge allowed the case to proceed while clearing the way for the termination to move forward.
The court acknowledged potential ‘life-altering consequences’ for Somali TPS beneficiaries but found no constitutional right to permanent TPS and did not find sufficient grounds to conclude the government’s statements were racially discriminatory enough to affect the merits of the case, citing Mullin v. Doe as precedent.
An administrative stay was issued shortly after the lawsuit to buy time for developing the administrative record; after the Supreme Court’s Mullin decision, the government asked the court to reopen and lift the stay, and the court ultimately allowed the termination to proceed.
The timeline surrounding the termination included a January announcement by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, an original March end-date, and a March 17 emergency filing that paused immediate enforcement—set against a backdrop of Somalia’s longstanding TPS designation since 1991 and ongoing Do Not Travel Level 4 advisories for the country.
A Massachusetts federal judge cleared the way for the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status for about 1,100 Somali immigrants, lifting a stay that had paused the termination since March Alpha News. Judge Allison Burroughs denied a preliminary injunction on August 14, saying she was bound by the Supreme Court's recent ruling that stripped federal courts of power to block such decisions.
Somalia has held TPS — a program that shields foreign nationals from deportation during wars or disasters — since 1991, longer than any other country. The ruling means Somali TPS holders now face deportation to a country the U.S. State Department still labels a Level 4 Do Not Travel destination, the same warning it issues for active war zones Star Tribune.
Supreme Court Ruling Tied the Judge's Hands
The legal turning point came on June 25, 2026, when the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Mullin v. Doe. Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority that federal courts cannot review DHS decisions to end TPS on non-constitutional grounds. That ruling gutted the main tool lower-court judges had used to block TPS terminations for months Head Topics.
Judge Burroughs acknowledged the government's rhetoric showed "undisguised racial animus" and that plaintiffs would face "irreparable harm." But she said the Supreme Court left her no room to act. She found no constitutional property right to permanent TPS status. Within days of her ruling, stays were also lifted for Burmese and South Sudanese TPS holders Alpha News.
A Long Road From January Announcement to August Ruling
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem formally announced Somalia's TPS termination in January 2026, setting a March 17 end date. She said, "Temporary means temporary. Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law's requirement." Four Somali TPS holders and two advocacy groups — African Communities Together and Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans — filed suit on March 9 Post Millennial.
Judge Burroughs issued an emergency administrative stay on March 13, buying time to build the legal record. That pause held for five months. After the Supreme Court's Mullin decision, the government asked the court to lift the stay. On August 14, she did exactly that, letting the termination move forward after 35 years of continuous Somali TPS protection Alpha News.
Trump's Rhetoric Became a Legal Weapon — and Failed
Plaintiffs argued the termination was driven by racial bias, pointing to Trump's public comments calling Somali immigrants "garbage" and "stupid people" from "a crooked country." Sixteen state attorneys general, led by Minnesota's Keith Ellison, filed briefs backing the TPS holders Star Tribune. Ellison said, "It's astonishing that the Trump administration is saying both that Somalia is too dangerous to travel to, but safe enough for refugees to return to."
Judge Burroughs said those statements were troubling but did not clear the legal bar set by Mullin to block the termination. Plaintiffs' lawyers called the ruling "a tremendous blow to the safety of Somali TPS communities all across the nation." DHS General Counsel James Percival praised the outcome, saying the rulings "reaffirm that Temporary Protected Status was always supposed to be temporary" Head Topics.
What Comes Next for 1,100 Somalis Without Legal Status
Somali TPS holders immediately lost work authorization when the stay lifted. Those without another visa or green card now face deportation or undocumented status. DHS is offering a $1,000 cash payment and a free plane ticket to those who agree to leave voluntarily through the CBP Home mobile app. Some TPS holders may qualify for family-based visas, but many have no other legal path Ethiopia Today.
The case is not entirely closed. Litigation continues, and the amended complaint filed July 30 raises due process and delegation-of-authority claims that the court has not yet fully resolved. Only Ethiopia's TPS — among the four African nations targeted — remains blocked by a separate judge. Legal experts say that block is unlikely to hold long under the Mullin precedent Alpha News.
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