This article was prepared with the assistance of ABIL, the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers, of which Loan Huynh is an active member.
On January 13, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it is terminating Somalia’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation, effective March 17, 2026.
DHS said it has automatically extended the validity of certain Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) previously issued under the TPS designation of Somalia through March 17, 2026. As proof of continued work authorization through March 17, 2026, Somali TPS beneficiaries can show their EADs that have the notation A-12 or C-19 under Category and a “Card Expires” date of March 17, 2023, September 17, 2024, or March 17, 2026.
DHS said that Somali nationals who do not have a legal status other than TPS that would allow them to remain in the United States should use U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s CBP Home mobile app to report their departure from the United States. The app includes a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus and “the opportunity for potential future legal immigration,” DHS said.
