U.S. Ends TPS for Myanmar Nationals Amid Controversy Over Claims of Improved Conditions

The Trump administration has announced it will end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for citizens of Myanmar living in the United States, arguing that conditions in the conflict-torn nation have improved enough for safe return. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the decision followed consultations led by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who cited the junta’s planned elections, the end of Myanmar’s state of emergency, and reported ceasefire agreements as signs of “notable progress.”

According to DHS, the TPS designation will officially expire on January 26, affecting roughly 4,000 Myanmar nationals. The administration praised the military government’s engagement in ceasefire talks with ethnic armed groups—negotiations in which China has played a mediating role—and suggested the political environment was stabilizing.

However, human rights groups, international observers, and even some U.S. lawmakers strongly dispute the administration’s assessment. Myanmar has been engulfed in turmoil since the military seized power in a 2021 coup, triggering widespread armed resistance and deepening humanitarian and human rights crises. Critics argue that the claimed improvements are misleading and contradicted by on-the-ground realities.

John Sifton, Asia advocacy director at Human Rights Watch, condemned the administration’s analysis as “fantastical,” stressing that governance and stability have only deteriorated. He said the military’s proposed elections—scheduled for December and January—are widely regarded as a sham, noting that major opposition parties remain banned and former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi remains imprisoned.

Members of Trump’s own party share similar concerns. Representative Young Kim, chairing a recent House hearing on Myanmar, described the elections as designed merely to create an illusion of legitimacy while strengthening ties between the junta, China, and Russia.

The U.S. State Department maintains a strong travel advisory against visiting Myanmar, citing civil unrest, armed conflict, and arbitrary detention. Its latest human rights report highlights widespread abuses, including arbitrary killings, torture, persecution of journalists, and ongoing military attacks on civilians. Despite these findings, the department declined to comment on DHS’s decision.

TPS for Myanmar was most recently extended under President Joe Biden for 18 months, through November 25. The move to terminate the designation aligns with Trump’s broader immigration policies, which have included rolling back TPS protections for several other nationalities.