DOJO – The Trump administration has announced it will end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nearly 10,000 Myanmar nationals living in the United States, despite the Southeast Asian nation remaining under the control of a military junta accused of widespread human rights abuses and executions of dissidents.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Monday that Myanmar — also known as Burma — will no longer qualify for TPS protections. The termination takes effect 60 days from the order’s publication in the Federal Register.
What does the decision mean?
TPS allows immigrants from crisis-stricken countries to remain in the U.S. legally, obtain work authorization, and avoid deportation when returning home is unsafe due to war, disaster, or political unrest. The protections typically last 18 months and can be renewed when conditions do not improve.
Myanmar was first granted TPS in May 2021 after the military staged a coup earlier that year, overthrowing the civilian government. The designation was later extended under ongoing warnings of violence, instability, and persecution of political opponents.
Ending TPS now places thousands of Myanmar nationals at risk of losing their legal status unless they qualify for another immigration pathway.
Why did DHS end Myanmar’s TPS designation?
In its official notice, DHS — led by Secretary Kristi Noem — said Myanmar “no longer continues to meet the conditions” required for TPS, citing what it described as “tangible gains in governance, public services, and stability.”
The agency also argued that continuing TPS was no longer aligned with U.S. national interests and pointed to vetting challenges and ongoing immigration fraud investigations involving some individuals with TPS status.
Advocacy groups strongly dispute this assessment, noting that Myanmar’s military continues to:
- execute political prisoners,
- target ethnic minorities,
- displace millions, and
- violently suppress pro-democracy movements.
According to the United Nations, more than 3.5 million people have been displaced since the coup, and at least 6,500 civilians were killed as of early 2025.
Reactions from human rights groups
The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), along with dozens of international relief organizations, campaigned to keep Myanmar’s TPS protections in place.
USCRI president Eskinder Negash said the U.S. has a “moral and legal obligation” to protect people who cannot safely return home.
“This status is not just compassionate — it’s essential,” he said.
Opponents of the administration’s broader immigration strategy say the rollback forms part of the largest reduction of humanitarian protections in modern U.S. history.
Part of a broader shift in U.S. immigration policy
The administration has undertaken wide-ranging efforts to scale back humanitarian relief programs, withdrawing TPS from several other countries including:
- Afghanistan
- Cameroon
- Honduras
- Nepal
- Nicaragua
- South Sudan
- Venezuela
Just two weeks ago, TPS protections were also ended for Venezuelans, affecting more than 260,000 people. In Minnesota, TPS for Somali immigrants was terminated over the weekend, following comments by President Trump regarding gang violence and fraud allegations in the state.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz criticized the decision, accusing the president of targeting entire communities.
Civil rights advocates, including the ACLU, say the combination of TPS rollbacks could place more than 675,000 people at risk of family separation, detention, or deportation.
How many people will be affected?
Federal data shows that roughly 3,969 to 10,000 Myanmar nationals currently benefit from TPS protections.
Unless intervened by the courts, Myanmar’s program will officially end in late January.
For many who fled conflict, the decision creates immediate uncertainty — especially as Myanmar remains one of the world’s most unstable and militarized regions.
