Right now, if you’re one of the nearly 60,000 people from Honduras, Nicaragua, or Nepal living in the U.S. under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), your head is probably spinning. One day you're told you have to leave in 60 days. The next, a judge says you can stay. It’s a mess. Honestly, it’s one of the most chaotic chapters in recent immigration history.
Basically, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tried to pull the plug on these programs in mid-2025. They said the "temporary" part of the status had to end. But then, right as the clock was hitting zero on New Year’s Eve, a federal court stepped in.
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The legal tug-of-war over dhs tps revocation honduras nicaragua nepal isn't just about paperwork. It’s about people who have lived here for 25 years. They have kids, mortgages, and jobs. Now, they're living month-to-month, waiting to see if a higher court will flip the script again.
The Chaos of Summer 2025: When the Revocations Hit
It started with a flurry of announcements from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. In June 2025, DHS announced it was ending Nepal’s TPS. By July, Honduras and Nicaragua were next on the chopping block.
The rationale? DHS argued that the conditions that originally triggered the status—hurricanes in the late 90s for the Central American countries and the 2015 earthquake for Nepal—had sufficiently improved. They claimed it was safe to go back.
But here’s the kicker: they only gave people 60 days to pack up. Usually, the government gives at least six months for a "wind-down" period. This sudden move felt like a gut punch to the community. Advocacy groups like the National TPS Alliance didn't take it sitting down. They sued almost immediately, arguing the decision was "preordained" and ignored actual reality on the ground.
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The Court Order That Saved the Day (For Now)
Everything changed on December 31, 2025. While most people were prepping for New Year’s Eve, U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson in California issued a massive ruling. She vacated the terminations for all three countries.
The judge didn't hold back. In the case National TPS Alliance v. Noem, she ruled that DHS basically rigged the review process. According to the court, the agency failed to follow the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). They didn’t do an objective assessment. They didn’t consult enough with other agencies. They just wanted the program gone.
Because of this order, the dhs tps revocation honduras nicaragua nepal was officially voided. For now, if you have TPS from these countries, your status is reinstated. Your work permit (EAD) is valid. You aren't supposed to be deported.
What This Means for Your Work Permit (EAD)
This is where it gets technical but super important. If you’re an employer or a TPS holder, you need to know that USCIS has been forced to auto-extend these documents.
Even if your EAD says it expired in 2024 or 2025, the court order keeps it alive. Specifically, USCIS issued an update on January 9, 2026, confirming that EADs for Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal are extended "until further notice."
You don't necessarily need a new card right this second. The Federal Register notices and the USCIS website are your best friends here. Show them to your boss if they start asking questions about your I-9 form. It’s legal, it’s binding, and it’s current.
Why DHS is Fighting Back
Don't get too comfortable. DHS is already appealing the California judge’s decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. They’re arguing that the Secretary has the "unreviewable discretion" to decide when a country is safe.
They’ve also been pointing to specific cases to justify the crackdown. In press releases from August 2025, DHS highlighted instances of "criminal aliens" from Honduras to argue that the program was being "exploited." It’s a classic political move: use a few bad actors to justify ending a program that helps tens of thousands of law-abiding people.
The government’s stance is pretty clear: TPS was never meant to be a permanent residency. To them, 26 years is long enough.
The Nepal Situation: A Different Timeline
Nepal is often the "forgotten" country in this trio. While Honduras and Nicaragua have been in the program since Hurricane Mitch in 1998, Nepal was added after the devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2015.
DHS terminated Nepal's status on June 6, 2025, with an end date of August 5, 2025. For a few months, Nepali TPS holders were actually out of status because the Ninth Circuit had stayed a previous injunction. It was a terrifying period. People actually lost their jobs. The December 31st ruling was a literal lifesaver for the 15,000 or so Nepali beneficiaries who were staring down deportation.
What You Should Do Right Now
If you’re caught in this dhs tps revocation honduras nicaragua nepal mess, "wait and see" isn't a great strategy.
- Print the USCIS Alert: Go to the USCIS TPS page for your specific country. Print the "Alert" that mentions the December 31, 2025 court order. Keep it with your expired EAD.
- Talk to a Lawyer: Now is the time to see if you qualify for something more permanent. Some people might be eligible for a green card through a family member or a U-visa if they’ve been a victim of a crime.
- Don't Travel Without Advance Parole: Even though your status is restored, do NOT leave the country without an approved Form I-131. It’s too risky with the litigation still active.
- Update Your Employer: If you were let go or put on leave because of the previous revocation, the court order means you are authorized to work again. You might have a case for reinstatement.
The bottom line? The battle isn't over. The Ninth Circuit could still side with the government later this year. But for this moment, the law is on the side of the TPS holders. Stay informed, keep your paperwork organized, and don't let a boss tell you that your "expired" card isn't valid—the federal court says otherwise.