Kathmandu, 9 Jul: Following the U.S. government’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS), 12,700 Nepalis will lose their legal right to stay in the United States. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on June 6, 2025 (Jestha 23, 2082 B.S.) that TPS for Nepali nationals will officially end on August 5, 2025 (Shrawan 20, 2082 B.S.).
As a result of this decision, the legal status and work authorization for these 12,700 individuals will expire from August 5 onward. Currently, there are approximately 14,500 Nepalis holding TPS in the U.S., of whom 12,700 are set to lose this protection, according to a list published by the National Immigration Forum.
TPS was initially granted by the U.S. government in the aftermath of the devastating April 25, 2015 (Baisakh 12, 2072 B.S.) earthquake in Nepal. Those who fled the country during the civil conflict and were granted TPS status will also be affected by this decision.
According to the notice issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the TPS of 14,500 Nepalis was last renewed on December 25, 2023, for a period of 18 months—valid until June 24, 2025. However, before that period expired, DHS announced on June 6, 2025, that TPS for Nepal would be terminated effective August 5, 2025. As a result of this early decision, 12,700 Nepalis will definitively lose their legal right to reside and work in the United States.
Before the expiration of TPS, 1,800 individuals had already completed legal procedures to obtain residency and work authorization through other means, meaning they will not be required to leave the U.S. immediately. According to DHS, based on a policy from the Trump administration, Nepalis who secure legal status through other immigration pathways before the termination of TPS will not have to leave the country right away.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem explained that the United States has traditionally granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to people from impoverished nations facing natural disasters, violence, or conflict. However, once such conditions improve, the process of gradually ending TPS is initiated.
She stated, “We have begun a phased termination and expiration timeline. Once TPS is no longer valid, individuals must establish a legal basis for residency within the given timeframe. If they fail to do so, they will be required to leave the United States by the specified deadline.”
According to the notice issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Nepalis was made on June 6, 2025. The current TPS validity will expire on June 24, and those 12,700 Nepalis who fail to secure another legal immigration status by August 5, 2025, will be required to leave the United States.
With just about three weeks remaining before the end of TPS for Nepal, the U.S. government has not issued any extension or new guidance as of yet.
Former President Donald Trump had initiated TPS termination proceedings during his first term in 2019. This time, of the 16 countries currently designated for TPS, citizens from four—including Nepal—will see their status end within the next two months.
As per the National Immigration Forum, following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on May 19, 2025, TPS for 472,000 out of 795,000 Venezuelan nationals was terminated. The remaining 323,000 Venezuelans have had their TPS extended until September 10, 2025.
Similarly, TPS for 17,700 Afghans will end on July 14, 2025, and for 10,000 Cameroonians on August 4, 2025, just a day before the end of TPS for Nepalis. However, TPS remains in effect for nationals of 12 other countries.
These include:
-
Honduras: 76,000
-
Nicaragua: 4,000
-
Haiti: 474,000
-
Syria: 8,200
-
South Sudan: 280
-
Myanmar: 7,300
-
Ethiopia: 12,800
-
Yemen: 4,000
-
Somalia: 4,900
-
El Salvador: 232,000
-
Sudan: 3,950
-
Ukraine: 103,700
In total, about 1.1 million individuals from 16 countries, including Nepal, are currently residing in the United States under TPS. These TPS holders are primarily concentrated in states such as New York, Texas, New Jersey, California, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, North Carolina, Indiana, and Washington.
The TPS program was first introduced in 1990 by then-President George H. W. Bush as a humanitarian measure to protect people fleeing natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary conditions in their home countries.
