by Ariana Figueroa, Arkansas Advocate
July 7, 2025

WASHINGTON — U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ended temporary protections Monday for nationals from Nicaragua and Honduras, opening up roughly 76,000 people to deportations by early September.

The move is the latest effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to wind down legal statuses, such as Temporary Protected Status, amid an immigration crackdown and pledge to carry out mass deportations.

So far, the Trump administration has moved to end legal statuses, including work authorizations and deportation protections, for more than half a million immigrants.

TPS has been used since the 1990s and is granted to nationals from countries deemed too dangerous to return to due to violence, natural disasters or other unstable conditions.

Roughly 72,000 Hondurans and 4,000 Nicaraguans had temporary protections since 1999 following Hurricane Mitch, a Category 5 storm that destroyed parts of Central America and killed more than 10,000 people.

“Temporary Protected Status was never meant to last a quarter of a century,” the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.

Noem determined that conditions in Nicaragua and Honduras had improved and TPS for the two countries is no longer needed, DHS said.

In late June, Noem traveled to Honduras, where she met with President Xiomara Castro de Zelaya regarding the repatriation of Hondurans from the U.S.

“It is clear that the Government of Honduras has taken all of the necessary steps to overcome the impacts of Hurricane Mitch, almost 27 years ago,” Noem said Monday. “Honduran citizens can safely return home, and DHS is here to help facilitate their voluntary return.”

Noem has also ended TPS for nationals of Afghanistan, Cameroon, Haiti, Nepal and Venezuela.

Arkansas Advocate is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Arkansas Advocate maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Sonny Albarado for questions: info@arkansasadvocate.com.

The post Trump administration ends protected status for Honduras, Nicaragua appeared first on arkansasadvocate.com

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

This content reflects a Center-Right perspective primarily through its framing of immigration policy decisions under the Trump administration and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The article emphasizes the administration’s efforts to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections, describing these moves as part of a broader immigration crackdown and mass deportation pledge. The language is largely factual but includes terms like “immigration crackdown” that can carry a critical tone. However, the piece also includes official statements justifying the policy changes, suggesting a measured presentation without strong editorializing. Overall, it leans slightly toward a conservative viewpoint aligned with stricter immigration enforcement.

SUMMARY: Flash flooding in Texas’ Hill Country, known as “flash flood alley,” has killed 82 people with dozens missing, mainly near Kerrville where severe devastation occurred, including at Camp Mystic. Search and rescue efforts have continued for four days, using air, land, water, boats, and drones. Officials hope to find survivors but acknowledge the mission may shift to recovery. Residents express emotional distress over uncertain fates of loved ones. Governor Greg Abbott emphasized local responsibility for emergency alerts, but Kerr County did not send its own warnings; alerts were only from the National Weather Service, some residents reporting no phone warnings.

Recovery efforts are underway in Kerrville, Texas, where so much of the flooding devastation happened near a girls’ camp.

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SUMMARY: Response teams from Arkansas and Oklahoma are mobilizing to assist with historic floods in Central Texas. Sheep Dog Impact Assistance, specializing in cleanup and debris removal, already has members assessing damage and will deploy chainsaw-equipped crews to aid recovery once conditions improve, likely by midweek. CEO Lance Nutt warns that too many uncoordinated helpers can hinder efforts. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt deployed two swift water rescue teams with boats and equipment, emphasizing the state’s commitment to aid. Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders expressed prayers for those affected. Sheep Dog plans to finalize deployment details by midweek to support first responders and clear debris.

Arkansas and Oklahoma teams deploy to aid Texas floods

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