In a move affecting tens of thousands, the Department of Homeland Security officially ended Temporary Protected Status for Honduran and Nicaraguan nationals living in the United States, Fox News reported.
The July 9 decision eliminates TPS protections for approximately 76,000 people and reflects the Trump administration’s continued effort to scale back humanitarian immigration programs.
Temporary Protected Status, known as TPS, provides relief from deportation and work permits to nationals of countries facing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary conditions. Established by Congress in 1990, TPS designations require periodic reviews and are granted in 18-month increments.
Roughly 72,000 Hondurans and 4,000 Nicaraguans will lose their legal protections under the new measure. Most have lived in the U.S. for decades, originally granted TPS status following natural disasters in their home countries in the late 1990s.
Homeland Security officials said Honduras has sufficiently recovered from the effects of Hurricane Mitch, which devastated the country nearly 27 years ago. Similarly, the department determined that Nicaragua’s recovery from a natural disaster in 1999 no longer requires TPS support.
“It is clear that the Government of Honduras has taken all of the necessary steps to overcome the impacts of Hurricane Mitch,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. She added, “Honduran citizens can safely return home, and DHS is here to help facilitate their voluntary return.”
The decision to revoke these protections follows previous TPS terminations issued in recent months. Haitians lost their TPS status weeks ago, and Venezuelans faced a similar outcome earlier in the year.
The Venezuelan termination initially faced legal pushback. A federal judge blocked the move, but in May, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Trump administration, removing the injunction and allowing the policy to proceed.
“Temporary Protected Status was designed to be just that—temporary,” Noem said, underscoring the administration’s broader goal of restoring TPS to its original intent and time-limited scope.
To assist those affected by the change, DHS is offering a voluntary return program. Migrants who agree to leave the country can register through the CBP One app, which helps them coordinate travel arrangements.
Those who opt into the program will receive a free one-way plane ticket back to Honduras or Nicaragua. In addition, they will get a $1,000 “exit bonus” to aid in their reintegration process upon arrival.
A DHS spokesperson said, “The environmental situation has improved enough that it is safe enough for Nicaraguan citizens to return home. This decision restores integrity in our immigration system and ensures that TPS remains temporary.”
DHS framed the move as part of a commitment to enforcing immigration laws as written. Officials say extending TPS indefinitely undermines U.S. policy and turns a temporary relief program into a permanent residency pathway.
“Honduras has been a wonderful partner of the Trump Administration, helping us deliver on key promises to the American people,” Noem said. “We look forward to continuing our work with them.”
With the end of these protections, tens of thousands of individuals will face decisions about their future in the U.S. Many must choose between returning to countries they haven’t lived in for decades or seeking new forms of legal relief.
