On 14 August 2026, a federal judge in Boston cleared the way for the Department of Homeland Security to end Temporary Protected Status for Somalia, a designation that had stood for decades and currently covers around 1,100 people.
It was reported, as these decisions usually are, as the TPS ruling. That framing is the single most common source of confusion in this area, and it causes real harm — people read a headline about another country and conclude something about their own.
There is no such thing as the TPS ruling. Temporary Protected Status is designated, extended and terminated one country at a time. Each has its own Federal Register notice, its own expiry date, and in many cases its own separate lawsuit moving at its own speed.
Where each designation stood on 14 August 2026
The table below reproduces the country-by-country tracker maintained by ASAP, as updated on 14 August 2026. It is a snapshot, not a forecast.
| Country | Status | Date |
|---|---|---|
| El Salvador | Valid | 9 September 2026 |
| Sudan | Valid | 19 October 2026 |
| Ukraine | Valid | 19 October 2026 |
| Lebanon | Valid | 27 November 2026 |
| Ethiopia | Valid for now — termination blocked by court | Pending |
| Somalia | Listed valid for now — see the 14 August ruling below | Pending |
| Hong Kong | DED, not TPS | 5 February 2027 |
| Venezuela | Mostly ended, narrow exceptions | 2025 cohort dates |
| Haiti | Ended | 27 July 2026 |
| Syria | Ended | 27 July 2026 |
| Burma (Myanmar) | Ended | 7 August 2026 |
| South Sudan | Ended | 7 August 2026 |
| Yemen | Ended | 20 July 2026 |
| Afghanistan | Ended | 21 July 2025 |
| Cameroon | Ended | 4 August 2025 |
| Honduras | Ended | 8 September 2025 |
| Nicaragua | Ended | 8 September 2025 |
| Nepal | Ended | 20 August 2025 |
| Liberia | DED ended | 30 June 2026 |
Several of the terminations listed above are subject to pending lawsuits. A lawsuit being filed does not restore status while it is pending.
One row needs a caveat. The tracker above was updated on 14 August and lists Somalia as valid for the time being. The court decision reported the same day removes the obstacle that made it so. Where a tracker and a same-day ruling disagree, assume the tracker has not caught up yet — and confirm through USCIS rather than through either.
What actually changed this summer
Three separate things happened, and they do different work:
- 25 June 2026 — the Supreme Court decision. Advocacy groups summarising it say its practical effect is that courts have very limited ability to review the government’s TPS decisions. This is the structural change. It is why several designations moved quickly afterwards and why litigation has become a much harder route.
- 5 August 2026 — work permits. A ruling allowed some TPS-based work permit auto-extensions to be ended early. This matters even to people whose TPS itself has not expired, because employment authorisation and status are separate documents with separate dates.
- 14 August 2026 — Somalia. A country-specific decision clearing the path to terminate one designation.
The distinction that catches people out
Status and work permit are not the same document. A great many people track only the TPS end date and assume their employment authorisation runs alongside it. Auto-extensions are a separate mechanism, published separately, and — as the 5 August decision showed — they can be curtailed on their own timetable.
If you hold TPS, you have at least two dates to know, not one.
What to do with this page
Use it to understand the shape of the situation. Do not use it as your status.
- Check USCIS directly for your country’s designation and your own case.
- Find the Federal Register notice for your country. It is the document with the operative dates in it.
- Speak to an accredited representative or an immigration attorney. Free and low-cost help exists through non-profit legal services.
- Be careful who you pay. If someone is charging a large fee for a form you can file yourself, get a second opinion before paying.
This is a fast-moving area, and any page including this one is a photograph rather than a live feed. The dates above were accurate to the sources cited on the day of writing, and at least one of them was already being overtaken as it was published.
The country-by-country statuses and dates in this article are reproduced from the Temporary Protected Status tracker maintained by ASAP, as updated on 14 August 2026. The 14 August 2026 decision clearing the way for termination of the Somalia designation, and the figure of approximately 1,100 people affected, were reported by news outlets on 14 August 2026. The characterisation of the 25 June 2026 Supreme Court decision as leaving courts very limited ability to review TPS decisions is drawn from advocacy-group summaries, not from the opinion text. The 5 August 2026 ruling regarding work permit auto-extensions is likewise as reported by that tracker. Several listed terminations are the subject of pending litigation. This article is general information, is accurate only as at 15 August 2026, and is not legal advice. Anyone affected should confirm their own status through USCIS and consult a qualified immigration attorney or a Department of Justice accredited representative.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What happened with Somalia?
On 14 August 2026 a federal judge in Boston cleared the way for the Department of Homeland Security to terminate the TPS designation for Somalia, affecting roughly 1,100 people. As reported, the decision removes a judicial obstacle to termination; it is not itself a termination notice.
Does that ruling affect my country?
No. TPS is designated, extended and terminated one country at a time. A decision about Somalia has no direct effect on the designation for El Salvador, Ukraine, Sudan or anywhere else. Each has its own Federal Register notice, its own dates and, in several cases, its own lawsuit.
Which designations were still valid in mid-August 2026?
According to the tracker maintained by ASAP, updated 14 August 2026: El Salvador (to 9 September 2026), Sudan and Ukraine (both to 19 October 2026), Lebanon (to 27 November 2026), and Ethiopia and Somalia listed as valid for the time being pending litigation. Hong Kong is covered by DED rather than TPS, listed through 5 February 2027.
Which had ended by then?
The same tracker lists Afghanistan, Cameroon, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, Yemen, Syria, Haiti, Burma and South Sudan as ended, with Venezuela mostly ended and narrow exceptions. Several of those terminations are the subject of pending lawsuits.
What did the Supreme Court decide in June 2026?
Advocates summarising the 25 June 2026 decision say its practical effect is that courts have very limited ability to review the government’s TPS decisions. That makes challenges to a termination substantially harder to win, which is why several designations moved quickly afterwards.
What should I actually do?
Treat any news article, including this one, as a starting point and not as your status. Check your own case on the USCIS website and the Federal Register notice for your country, and speak to an accredited representative or immigration attorney. Free and low-cost legal help exists; anyone charging for a form you can file yourself is worth a second opinion.
