In a last-minute reversal, the Trump administration extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) work permits for hundreds of thousands of immigrants just hours before they were set to expire on July 10, 2026. The reprieve affects nationals of seven countries whose employment authorization had been slated to lapse under a July 1 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notice: Haiti, Syria, Burma (Myanmar), Yemen, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Somalia.
Under the new schedule, work permits for Haitian TPS holders are now set to expire on July 24, 2026, while authorization for beneficiaries from Ethiopia, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, South Sudan, and Myanmar was extended by roughly one additional week. DHS has emphasized that any continued relief is temporary and that the underlying terminations remain in effect while litigation continues in the lower courts.
The episode follows a pivotal June 25, 2026 Supreme Court decision that cleared the way for DHS to move forward with ending TPS for several designated countries, even as smaller legal challenges to those terminations proceed. That ruling removed a major obstacle to the administration’s efforts to wind down TPS protections that, in some cases, had been in place for years.
For affected workers, the short-term extensions provide only limited breathing room. TPS holders whose Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) are expiring should confirm their individual validity dates on their I-766 cards and USCIS notices, since expiration dates now vary by country. Employers using E-Verify should also review updated guidance, as USCIS and E-Verify issued revised instructions for the seven countries following the Supreme Court ruling.
Because automatic EAD extensions for many categories ended in late 2025, TPS beneficiaries can no longer rely on a grace period after their current permit lapses. Those who may be eligible for other immigration benefits — such as a family- or employment-based green card — should consult an immigration attorney promptly to explore longer-term options before their work authorization runs out.
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