Federal Judge Blocks Ethiopia TPS Termination on July 25, Defying Supreme Court

U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy issued an administrative stay on Friday, July 25, blocking the Trump administration’s termination of Temporary Protected Status for Ethiopian nationals. The order temporarily preserves deportation protections and work authorization for hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians while the court considers constitutional claims. The ruling directly challenges a June Supreme Court decision that narrowed lower courts’ authority over TPS determinations.

The judge’s order and its scope

Judge Murphy’s administrative stay in African Communities Together v. Mullin keeps Ethiopia’s TPS designation in place while the court evaluates the case on its merits. In his written order, Murphy stated: “During the period of the stay of the Termination, the Termination shall be null, void, and of no legal effect.” The stay allows time for the court to consider arguments that cannot be evaluated hastily. It remains unclear how long the stay will last or when the court will rule on the underlying case.

Clash with the Supreme Court’s June ruling

In June 2026, the Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision in Mullin v. Doe that significantly narrowed lower courts’ authority to block Department of Homeland Security decisions on TPS designations and terminations. Despite that ruling, Murphy became the second federal judge in Massachusetts to block the Trump administration’s effort to end TPS for migrant groups. This has fueled growing tension over whether lower courts are ignoring the Supreme Court’s narrowed authority.

DHS accuses judge of mutiny

Department of Homeland Security General Counsel James Percival responded swiftly and sharply to Murphy’s order. Percival wrote on X: “Judge Brian Murphy just entered an order preventing us from terminating TPS for Ethiopia. These district judges are engaged in mutiny against the Supreme Court. It must stop!” Percival also revived criticism of Murphy’s May 2025 order halting a deportation flight to South Sudan, saying DHS blamed the judge for leaving ICE officers stranded at a U.S. military base in Djibouti facing malaria exposure and rocket attack threats from terrorist groups in neighboring Yemen.

Background on Ethiopia’s TPS designation

Ethiopia’s TPS designation was granted on December 12, 2022, due to armed conflict and extraordinary conditions in the country. The Biden administration extended it in April 2024. In December 2025, then-DHS Secretary Kristi Noem determined that conditions in Ethiopia no longer justified TPS protection and announced the designation would terminate. Federal courts have temporarily blocked or postponed TPS terminations for Burma, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen that were scheduled to end between November 2025 and May 2026. TPS beneficiaries from these countries retain legal status and work authorization while litigation continues.

Final Thoughts

Murphy’s block preserves protections for hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians but deepens the conflict between lower courts and the Supreme Court over immigration authority. With the high court’s June ruling narrowing judicial review, the outcome of this case could reshape how courts handle future TPS challenges.

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