type: timeline_event
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem announced termination of Temporary Protected Status for Yemen, affecting approximately 1,400 Yemeni nationals who had held the status since September 2015 due to ongoing armed conflict in their country. The designation had been extended or redesignated multiple times in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024. Noem stated: "After reviewing conditions in the country and consulting with appropriate U.S. government agencies, I determined that Yemen no longer meets the law's requirement to be designated for Temporary Protected Status."
The termination contradicts State Department assessments: Yemen remains designated a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" country due to "terrorism, unrest, crime, health risks, kidnapping, and landmines," and continues to be riven by years-long conflict as one of the world's poorest nations. The 60-day termination notice means Yemeni nationals without "other lawful basis" for remaining will face arrest and deportation after the effective date.
Noem claimed the decision prioritizes "national security interests and putting America first," stating "TPS was designed to be temporary, and this administration is returning TPS to its original temporary intent." DHS encouraged departing immigrants to use the CBP Home app for "voluntary" self-deportation, offering a complimentary plane ticket, $2,600 exit bonus, and potential future legal immigration opportunities. The Trump administration has moved to end TPS for multiple countries including Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Ethiopia, though protections for 350,000 Haitians remain in effect following court order. A federal appeals court ruled Noem exceeded her authority when vacating existing TPS designations, stating her actions "fundamentally contradict Congress's statutory design."