U.S. Ends TPS Protections for Hondurans and Nicaraguans Amidst Controversy

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has announced the termination of deportation protections for Hondurans and Nicaraguans residing in the United States, a decision slated to take effect on September 6. This move is part of a wider initiative by President Donald Trump to rescind legal statuses for various migrant groups.

The termination will affect approximately 72,000 Hondurans and 4,000 Nicaraguans who have been under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) since 1999. TPS has offered these individuals deportation relief due to adverse conditions in their home countries, but the Trump administration asserts that these protections have been excessively prolonged.

The decision has ignited controversy and opposition, with critics arguing that many affected migrants could be forced into unsafe environments. Despite previous legal challenges preventing such actions, the U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of ending TPS for certain groups, though a federal judge has blocked similar measures for Haitian nationals.

(With inputs from agencies.)