The Department of Homeland Security has officially ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Yemen, effective May 4, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. The decision means that Yemeni nationals who have relied on TPS to legally live and work in the United States will lose those protections — and could face removal — unless they hold or can obtain another valid immigration status.

Key Points

  • What: DHS is terminating Yemen's TPS designation, ending legal protections for Yemeni TPS holders in the US
  • Who: Yemeni nationals (and stateless individuals who last habitually resided in Yemen) currently holding TPS
  • When: Termination is effective at 11:59 p.m. on May 4, 2026
  • Impact: After May 4, TPS holders lose protection from removal and employment authorization, unless they have a separate valid immigration status

Why DHS Is Ending Yemen TPS

Yemen was first designated for TPS in September 2015 due to an ongoing armed conflict that posed a serious threat to civilians. The designation was extended and redesignated multiple times — most recently in July 2024.

This time, the Secretary of Homeland Security concluded that conditions in Yemen no longer meet the legal threshold for TPS. Specifically, DHS cited:

  • A significant reduction in large-scale violence following the UN-brokered April 2022 truce, which DHS says remains broadly in effect
  • Ongoing diplomatic efforts and peace negotiations between parties
  • The December 2025 territorial expansion by the Southern Transitional Council, which DHS describes as largely non-violent
  • Active US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) removals to Yemen, which DHS cited as evidence that return is possible
  • Some Yemeni TPS holders having voluntarily requested travel authorization to return to Yemen

DHS also invoked a separate legal basis: even if extraordinary conditions still exist in Yemen, the Secretary determined that permitting Yemeni nationals to remain in the US is "contrary to the national interest" — a statutory bar to extending TPS on those grounds.

What Happens to Current TPS Holders

When TPS ends, affected individuals revert to whatever immigration status they held before receiving TPS — assuming that status is still valid. If they have no other lawful status, they become undocumented and subject to removal.

Key consequences:

  • Work authorization (EADs) tied to Yemen TPS will no longer be valid after May 4, 2026
  • Protection from removal ends on the same date
  • Individuals who obtained a separate lawful immigration status while on TPS (such as a green card, another visa, or asylum) may be able to maintain that status
  • There is no judicial review of the Secretary's termination decision under the Immigration and Nationality Act

What You Should Do

If you or someone you know holds Yemen TPS, May 4, 2026 is a hard deadline — not a suggestion. Here's what to prioritize:

  1. Consult an immigration attorney immediately. Explore whether you qualify for another immigration status — asylum, a family-based petition, employment-based visa, or other relief.
  2. Check your current status. If you already have a valid visa, green card, or pending petition, confirm it remains valid after May 4.
  3. Do not let your EAD expire without a plan. After May 4, your Yemen TPS-based work authorization will not be renewable under this designation.
  4. File for any alternative relief as soon as possible. Immigration court backlogs mean the sooner you file, the better.

This is a high-stakes deadline. Do not wait.