On October 21, 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas announced the designation of Ethiopia for temporary protected status (“TPS”) for eighteen months, beginning December 12, 2022 through June 12, 20024 to help protect Ethiopian nationals in the United States from returning to unsafe conditions ”due to conflict-related violence and a humanitarian crisis involving severe food shortages, flooding, drought, and displacement.” The TPS designation has gone into effect with the publishing of the Federal Register Notice earlier this week. Eligible individuals may submit Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status along with Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization electronically as of December 12, 2022.

Ethiopian nationals may be eligible for TPS provided they are able to demonstrate their continuous residence in the US since October 20, 2022, as well as continuous physical presence in the US since December 12, 2022. Along with the residency requirements, all applicants must undergo security and background checks. Ethiopians who arrived in the US after the 20th of October 2022 are not eligible to apply for TPS.

TPS allows nationals of designated countries to remain in the United States for a specified period of time, which may be extended at the discretion of DHS, due to conditions in their respective home countries that would prevent a safe return. The types of conditions that qualify for TPS designation include: ongoing armed conflicts, environmental disasters, and other extraordinary, temporary conditions. Foreign Nationals who are granted TPS are shielded from removal from the US, can obtain work authorization, and may be granted travel authorization. TPS “is a temporary benefit that does not lead to lawful permanent resident status or give any other immigration status.”