The Congressional Research Service reports that 7,160 Nepalis held approved Temporary Protected Status (TPS) before the program’s termination. The report notes a significant decline in Nepali TPS beneficiaries over the years.
The number stood at 8,525 in March 2023, dropped to 8,100 by September 2023, fell to 7,875 by March 2024, and reached 7,505 by December 2024. Many Nepalis were transitioning to other immigration statuses, such as work visas or permanent residency, or voluntarily leaving the program. The Trump administration had already terminated TPS for Nepal.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and associated work permits for Nepalis are no longer valid as of August 20, 2025. This change follows a legal decision that overturned a temporary reprieve, allowing the termination to take effect.
The appeals court’s decision, issued by a three-judge panel, had granted the government’s motion to end the protections while the appeal was pending. The ruling has left many Nepalis in the U.S. on TPS in a state of confusion, unsure of their legal status and work authorization. This is a particularly serious issue for those with pending green card petitions.
The lawsuit that originally sought to block the termination was filed by the National TPS Alliance and individual TPS holders. A lower court, in its July 31, 2025 decision, had granted a postponement of the TPS termination until November 18, 2025, while the case was being litigated.
TPS is a humanitarian program for nationals of designated countries who cannot safely return home due to events like armed conflict or natural disasters. Nepal was first granted TPS on June 24, 2015, by then-DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, following a catastrophic earthquake on April 25, 2015.
This is not the first attempt to end the program. The Trump administration also sought to terminate TPS for Nepal and several other countries in 2017 and 2018. These efforts faced legal challenges, and an injunction kept the program in place for nearly five years. The Biden administration later reversed the Trump-era termination decisions, extending Nepal’s TPS until June 24, 2025. However, the current litigation and the recent appeals court ruling have now made the termination effective.
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
