Trump targets protections for thousands from ‘unsafe’ countries, says conditions have ‘notably improved’ despite UN warnings

The Trump administration has moved to end Temporary Protected Status for thousands of immigrants from multiple countries, arguing that conditions in their home nations have improved enough to allow safe returns. The policy affects people from seven countries who have been living and working legally in the United States under humanitarian protections.

Since taking office in January 2025, President Donald Trump‘s administration has announced the termination of TPS for citizens of Afghanistan, Haiti, Venezuela, Honduras, Nicaragua, Nepal, and Cameroon. The Department of Homeland Security has cited improved conditions in these places as justification for ending the protections that shield people from deportation.

According to the document, in her decision to end protections for several countries, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said there were “notable improvements in environmental disaster preparedness and response capacity” in places like Nepal. However, critics point to ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises that make these claims questionable. The United Nations has described Nicaragua as an “authoritarian state where opposition voices are silenced,” while Afghanistan remains under Taliban control with severe restrictions on women and girls.

Court battles delay some deportations but others proceed

Federal courts have become key battlegrounds over these TPS terminations. In July, a district judge in San Francisco temporarily blocked the administration from ending protections for about 60,000 people from Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal. However, an appeals court later sided with the Trump administration and allowed the terminations to proceed.

The legal fight has created uncertainty for thousands of families. Many TPS holders have lived in the United States for decades, with some Hondurans and Nicaraguans first receiving protection after Hurricane Mitch in 1999. These immigrants have built deep roots in American communities, starting businesses, raising US citizen children, and working in essential industries like healthcare and food services. The broader immigration enforcement efforts have intensified under the Trump administration, with officials like Tom Homan announcing plans to “deputize” every US citizen to help find missing immigrant children.

Current estimates show that nearly 1 million people hold TPS status across 17 countries. The program was created by Congress in 1990 to provide temporary haven for people who cannot safely return to their home countries due to war, natural disasters, or other dangerous conditions. TPS holders contribute an estimated $21 billion annually to the US economy while paying $5.2 billion in taxes, according to advocacy groups. The administration’s broader immigration crackdown has also expanded to include stricter enforcement measures that now make traffic tickets grounds for deportation, as immigration officials have significantly increased their authority to revoke student visas and target immigrants for removal.