The Department of Homeland Security has terminated Temporary Protected Status for Yemen. The termination notice was published in the Federal Register on February 13, 2026. TPS benefits will end 60 days later — making the effective termination date April 14, 2026.
Yemen was originally designated for TPS on September 3, 2015, based on ongoing armed conflict. DHS extended or redesignated Yemen for TPS in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024. The most recent TPS period was set to run through March 3, 2026, but the termination notice supersedes that — TPS benefits continue through the 60-day wind-down period until April 14.
This is not an extension or a court-ordered stay. Unlike the recent Haiti TPS court stay, there is currently no court order blocking this termination. When the effective date arrives, affected employees will lose their TPS-based work authorization.
This affects employees holding Yemen TPS Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). There are two groups to look for:
EADs that were auto-extended:
USCIS automatically extended EADs with these original expiration dates through September 3, 2025:
EADs issued after re-registration:
Employees who re-registered and received a new EAD were issued cards expiring March 3, 2026.
Regardless of the date printed on the card, all Yemen TPS-based work authorization remains valid through the 60-day wind-down period and expires on April 14, 2026.
If an employee has a Work Authorization Card (Form I-766, category A12 or C19) with Country of Birth as Yemen, their work authorization will end on April 14, 2026 unless they obtain a new basis for employment.
Step 1: Identify affected employees
In i9 Intelligence, run the Expiration Date Report under Reports > Compliance > Expiring Docs Report. This report shows all employees with expiring documents — it does not filter by document type or country. Look for employees with expiration dates matching the dates listed above (September 3, 2024, March 3, 2023, or March 3, 2026). Then open each record individually to verify the Work Authorization Card shows Country of Birth as Yemen and category code A12 or C19.
Step 2: Notify affected employees
Let affected employees know that their TPS-based work authorization will expire on the termination effective date. They should consult with an immigration attorney about their options — some may have other bases for work authorization (a pending asylum case, an approved visa petition, etc.).
Step 3: Do not take early action
Do not terminate employment or change the employee's status before the effective date. Their work authorization remains valid until then. Taking action early based on TPS status or national origin could constitute discrimination under the Immigration and Nationality Act's anti-discrimination provisions.
Step 4: Re-verify or end employment
When the employee's TPS-based EAD expires, they must present a new document showing continued work authorization. Complete Section 3 (Reverification) of the I-9:
In i9 Intelligence:
The system will flag these employees through the Expiring Documents dashboard as the termination date approaches. When re-verifying, select the Section 3 tab on the right-hand side of the form to complete reverification.
Step 5: Update E-Verify if applicable
If you used E-Verify for the original hire, no E-Verify action is required for reverification. E-Verify is only used for new hires, not reverification.
Do not panic-fire employees. This is a common and costly mistake. Employers who terminate employees before their work authorization actually expires — or who treat Yemen-born employees differently based on the TPS announcement — risk discrimination claims.
The rules are straightforward:
It is possible. Federal courts have issued last-minute stays blocking TPS terminations for Haiti and Burma in recent months. If a court issues a stay for Yemen, we will publish updated guidance immediately.
Employers should:
| Date | What Happens |
|---|---|
| February 13, 2026 | Federal Register termination notice published |
| March 3, 2026 | Original TPS period end date (superseded by 60-day wind-down) |
| Now through April 14, 2026 | Yemen TPS EADs remain valid — do not take early action |
| April 14, 2026 | Termination effective — EADs expire, reverification required |
If you are an i9 Intelligence client, our support team can help you identify affected employees and prepare for the reverification process.
Call us at (713) 668-6200 (Mon–Fri, 8am–5pm CT), email support@i-9intelligence.com, or submit a ticket.
If you are handling I-9 compliance manually, TPS terminations create a tight window where every affected employee needs to be identified, notified, and reverified on time — without acting too early and triggering discrimination risk. i9 Intelligence provides its own trained authorized representatives who handle Section 2 verification on behalf of your organization, and our Expiring Documents dashboard flags affected records automatically so nothing falls through the cracks.
This article reflects USCIS and DHS guidance current as of February 2026. The situation may change if a federal court issues a stay or if DHS revises the termination timeline. Check uscis.gov for the latest updates. This article is for informational purposes only — consult legal counsel for guidance specific to your organization.
