Holders of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a temporary U.S. permission to live and work here when a home country faces war or disaster, from 13 terminated designations lost protection, about 1.1 million people in total. People who arrive at the southern border after Jan.
20, 2025 also lost the ability to invoke asylum at entry while the suspension stays in place. Venezuelans lost the most protection, followed by Haitians and Hondurans. Only four TPS designations remained in effect in Oct. 2026, so nationals of all other formerly designated countries reverted to the immigration status they held before TPS.
Table of Contents
- Which TPS nationalities lost protection?
- What does termination mean for holders?
- Why did court challenges not stop the removals?
- How did asylum access change at the border?
- What should affected people check now?
Which TPS nationalities lost protection?
The Congressional Research Service reports in its Oct. 22 update that the administration ended TPS for 13 of 17 designated countries, with termination dates from April 2025 to March 2026. The affected population totaled about 1.1 million beneficiaries. Venezuelans were the largest affected group. The government ended the 2023 Venezuela designation effective April 7, 2025 and the 2021 designation effective Nov. 7, 2025.
Together those actions affected 627,750 beneficiaries. Haiti was the second-largest affected group, with termination effective Sept. 2, 2025 for 353,160 Haitians. Smaller groups also lost status, including Afghanistan, Cameroon, Nepal and Honduras. Honduras alone accounted for 70,070 people with a Sept. 8, 2025 termination.
What does termination mean for holders?
Termination ends both protection from removal based on TPS and TPS-based work authorization. Nationals of terminated countries revert to the status they held before TPS, such as a valid visa, pending asylum claim or no lawful status. Only El Salvador, Sudan, Ukraine and Lebanon still had TPS designations in effect in Oct.
2026. Everyone else must rely on another status, a pending application or departure if they have no other lawful basis to stay. Employers must treat TPS work permits from terminated designations as expired on the termination date. Workers who gained permanent residence or another work-authorized status can continue to work on that separate basis.
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Why did court challenges not stop the removals?
On June 25, 2026, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in Mullin v. Doe that courts cannot review nonconstitutional challenges to TPS termination decisions. Morgan Lewis explains in its practical guide for employers that the ruling lifted blocks on Haiti and Syria removals.
The decision leaves only constitutional claims open to judicial review. Policy disagreements, procedural claims under administrative law and country-conditions disputes do not support a court block. That limit matters for workers and employers checking delays. Some termination effective dates shifted during earlier litigation, but Mullin closed the main path used to pause terminations for nonconstitutional reasons.
How did asylum access change at the border?
On Jan. 20, 2025, Proclamation 10888 declared an invasion at the southern border and suspended physical entry. The proclamation text, preserved by GovInfo, bars entrants covered by the suspension from invoking asylum under INA Section 208 until the president ends it. The same-day Securing Our Borders order ended the CBP One appointment system and categorical parole programs including CHNV.
The NAFSA tracker documents in its actions update that asylum seekers were left to wait in Mexico or cross without authorization. Together the two actions cut off the main lawful routes to reach a U.S. inspection point and claim asylum. Crossing without authorization does not restore asylum eligibility while the entry suspension applies.
What should affected people check now?
Counts are DHS figures as of June 25, 2026 and include some people who later gained permanent residence. Litigation also delayed several termination effective dates, so a Federal Register notice for each country controls over a summary total.
- Confirm your country designation, termination date and any court-delay notice.
- Check whether you hold another status or pending application separate from TPS.
- Check your Employment Authorization Document category and expiration against payroll records.
- Seek qualified immigration counsel before travel, renewal or voluntary departure.
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