TPS for Somalia citizens

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a humanitarian immigration status granted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to nationals of countries experiencing ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other extraordinary conditions. TPS provides protection from removal and authorization to work — but does NOT directly lead to a green card.

⚠️ TPS for Somalia — termination court-stayed; EADs extended per court order (July 24, 2026 guidance, July 29 I-9 date)

TPS STATUS — Somalia: TERMINATION BLOCKED BY COURT ORDER — fragile

DHS terminated Somalia's designation (91 FR 1547, Jan. 14, 2026), slated to end Mar. 17, 2026. On Mar. 13, 2026 the District of Massachusetts stayed that termination (African Communities Together v. Noem, No. 26-cv-11201, D. Mass.). On June 25, 2026 the Supreme Court held that courts cannot review TPS terminations (Mullin v. Doe, 6-3), undermining the basis for this stay; DHS is moving to dissolve it. Per the July 24, 2026 USCIS/E-Verify guidance (superseding July 17), EADs remain extended per court order and employers enter July 29, 2026 as the Form I-9 expiration date — 'limited relief' until the lower court aligns with the ruling. Status as of July 25, 2026: termination still paused — verify on the USCIS page.

Verified against USCIS on 2026-07-25 — status can change with a single court ruling. Confirm on the official USCIS page before acting.

  • Termination action: Termination of TPS Designation
  • Publication date: 2026-01-14
  • Source: Federal Register

What this means:

  • TPS holders from Somalia who do not have another immigration status may face removal proceedings once their work authorization expires.
  • Termination notices often face litigation that may delay implementation. Verify current status at USCIS before relying.
  • Affected individuals should consult an immigration attorney immediately to explore alternative pathways (asylum, U-visa, family-based, cancellation of removal).

How TPS works

  • Initial designation — DHS designates a country for TPS for 6-18 months based on conditions
  • Extensions — DHS reviews and decides to extend, redesignate (covers new arrivals), or terminate
  • Re-registration — Each cycle, current TPS holders must re-register during a published window (usually 60 days)
  • Forms used: Form I-821 (TPS application), Form I-765 (work authorization), Form I-131 (travel)
  • Fees (raised sharply by H.R.1, July 2025): Initial TPS registration on Form I-821 now carries a non-waivable $510 fee for filings postmarked on or after January 1, 2026 ($500 when H.R.1 introduced it on July 22, 2025 — it amended the old $50 cap in INA § 244(c)(1)(B)), plus $30 biometrics. Re-registration still has no I-821 fee, but a work permit adds the I-765 agency fee ($520 paper / $470 online — waivable via Form I-912) plus a non-waivable H.R.1 EAD fee: $560 initial / $280 renewal. TPS EADs are now valid a maximum of 1 year. H.R.1 fees adjust annually for inflation — verify your exact total with the USCIS Fee Calculator before filing.

Last verified: 2026-07-25. General procedural information — not legal advice. TPS status changes frequently; always verify at uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status before relying.

Recent fee, deadline, and contact context (2025-2026)

DHS terminated TPS designations for 8 countries between 2025-09-08 and 2026-03-03: Yemen, Somalia, Ethiopia, Haiti, Burma (Myanmar), South Sudan, Syria, and Venezuela 2021 designation. The Haitian TPS termination alone affects approximately 500,000+ TPS holders. Termination notices typically take effect 6-18 months after Federal Register publication; some face litigation that delays implementation.

TPS filing requirements: Form I-821 (TPS application — initial registration carries a non-waivable $510 H.R.1 fee for filings postmarked on or after January 1, 2026, plus $30 biometrics; re-registration has no I-821 fee) and Form I-765 (work authorization — $520 paper / $470 online agency fee, waivable via Form I-912, plus a non-waivable H.R.1 fee of $560 initial / $280 renewal). H.R.1 amended INA § 244(c)(1)(B) in July 2025, replacing the old $50 cap; its fees stack on top of agency fees, cannot be waived, adjust annually for inflation, and TPS EAD validity is capped at 1 year. Verify current amounts at uscis.gov/g-1055 and the USCIS Fee Calculator before filing.

Re-registration windows are published in the Federal Register; typically 60 days from publication. Missing the window requires a “good cause” explanation. Travel abroad: Form I-131 (Advance Parole) required BEFORE departure; fee approximately $660. Returning without Advance Parole abandons TPS protection. Sanchez v. Mayorkas (594 U.S. ___, 2021) held that TPS holders who entered without inspection cannot adjust status to LPR in the US without prior lawful admission — requires consular processing abroad which triggers 3-year/10-year unlawful-presence bars in many cases.

USCIS Form I-821 instructions and current designation status: uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status. USCIS Contact Center: 1-800-375-5283 Monday-Friday 8:00am-8:00pm Eastern Time. For affected nationals, consult a BIA-recognized organization (free) or AILA-member immigration attorney within 30 days of any termination announcement to evaluate alternative pathways (asylum, U-visa, T-visa, VAWA, cancellation of removal).