TPS updates for January 2026: Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Syria

There are three recent developments in Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) designations for Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Syria: 

Ethiopia: On December 15, 2025, USCIS announced that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem had terminated TPS for Ethiopia. TPS for Ethiopian nationals will now end on February 13, 2026. See the Federal Register notice here. 

South Sudan: On December 30, 2025, a federal district court judge in Boston temporarily blocked TPS termination for South Sudanese nationals. TPS for South Sudan was set to end on January 5, 2026.  See the update on the USCIS website here. 

Syria: On December 5, 2025, USCIS updated its TPS website for Syria confirming that EADs issued under TPS for Syrian nationals will remain valid, pursuant to the November 19, 2025 federal district court order blocking TPS termination for Syria. Individuals with EADs pursuant to TPS for Syria may continue to work based on their current EADs. See the USCIS website here and additional information on the lawsuit from the International Refugee Assistance Project here. 

Please feel free to contact us with questions or concerns regarding the J-1 waiver process at info@iandoli.com.