Temporary Protected Status Expires for 76,000 Citizens of Honduras and Nicaragua

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the cancellation of temporary protected status (TPS) for citizens of Honduras and Nicaragua.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the cancellation of TPS for Honduras and Nicaragua in separate statements, effective Sept. 8, 2025, 60 days after the publication of the cancellation notice in the Federal Register.

The agency estimates that approximately 72,000 Hondurans and 4,000 Nicaraguans are covered by TPS and will be required to leave the United States as of this date.

Noem stated on July 7 that conditions in Honduras and Nicaragua no longer meet the requirements for TPS, following consultation with interagency partners, Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the Department of State.

“Temporary Protected Status was designed to be just that—temporary,” Noem stated in a July 7 statement.

On Jul. 31, a federal judge issued a ruling preventing DHS from ending TPS for people from Nepal, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

However, a three-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the West Coast allowed DHS to proceed with its decision on Aug. 21.

“This is yet another huge legal victory for the Trump Administration, the rule of law, safety of the American public,” Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement following that ruling. “Temporary Protected Status was always meant to be just that: Temporary.”

TPS is a government protection created by the U.S. Congress in the Immigration Act of 1990 to provide protection to foreign-born individuals who cannot safely return to their country due to difficult circumstances such as armed conflict, natural disasters, and other extraordinary conditions.

During the designation period, TPS beneficiaries may remain in the United States and are authorized to work as long as they meet strict requirements, such as having a clean criminal record and proper registration. TPS does not lead to legal permanent residence or any other immigration status.

Honduras and Nicaragua were designated for TPS in 1999 following Hurricane Mitch, one of the most devastating hurricanes in recent memory, which caused significant temporary disruption to living conditions in the affected region.

In 2018, DHS announced the termination of TPS for Honduras, effective Jan. 5, 2020. However, a litigation response allowed for continued extension of TPS until a final extension by the Biden administration until July 5, 2025.

Nicaragua’s TPS was extended 13 consecutive times, for periods of 12 or 18 months each, on the same legal basis of the environmental disaster caused by Hurricane Mitch. The most recent extension was granted in January 2024, extending to July 5, 2025.

Noem, for her part, declared that “the impacts of a natural disaster impacting Nicaragua in 1999 no longer exist. 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.”

“It is clear that the Government of Honduras has taken all of the necessary steps to overcome the impacts of Hurricane Mitch, almost 27 years ago,” Noem said in another statement on July 7, adding that “Honduras has been a wonderful partner of the Trump Administration, helping us deliver on key promises to the American people. We look forward to continuing our work with them.”

On July 7, DHS urged Hondurans and Nicaraguans who must leave the country to use U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s CBP Home app to report their departure and obtain a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 departure voucher, and possible future opportunities to return to the country legally.

The expiry date for TPS for citizens of Honduras and Nicaragua comes just after a San Francisco-based federal judge ruled on Sept. 5 that the Trump administration may not cancel the TPS that prevents Venezuelans and Haitians from being deported from the United States. The ruling shields 600,000 Venezuelans whose protected status lapsed in April or was to run out on Sept. 10. The order also maintains the status for approximately 500,000 Haitians.

Matthew Vadum contributed to the report.