I 
119TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6946 
To amend section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to terminate 
Temporary Protected Status designations for certain countries. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 6, 2026 
Mr. HUNT introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend section 244 of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act to terminate Temporary Protected Status designa-
tions for certain countries. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Temporary Protected 
Status Reform Act of 2026.’’ 
SEC. 2. CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) STATUTORY PURPOSE OF TEMPORARY PRO-
TECTED
STATUS.—Temporary 
Protected 
Status 
(TPS), as established under section 244 of the Im-
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migration and Nationality Act, was intended by Con-
gress to provide temporary and humanitarian relief 
to nationals of designated countries experiencing 
armed conflict, environmental disaster, or other ex-
traordinary and temporary conditions. 
(2) DURATION AND REPEATED EXTENSIONS.— 
Since its enactment, TPS designations for certain 
countries have been repeatedly extended for periods 
spanning multiple decades, resulting in populations 
residing in the United States for prolonged dura-
tions under a status intended by statute to be tem-
porary in nature. 
(3) EXECUTIVE
BRANCH
DISCRETION.—The 
designation, extension, and termination of TPS have 
been exercised primarily through executive branch 
discretion, which has led to differing interpretations 
across administrations regarding the scope, dura-
tion, and application of such authority. 
(4) IMPACT ON THE IMMIGRATION SYSTEM.— 
Long-term TPS designations raise policy questions 
concerning the interaction between temporary hu-
manitarian protections and the broader immigration 
system, including issues of lawful presence, work au-
thorization, and eligibility for other forms of immi-
gration relief. 
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(5) CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT AND LEGISLA-
TIVE
AUTHORITY.—Article I of the Constitution 
vests Congress with the authority to establish a uni-
form rule of naturalization, and Congress has a con-
tinuing responsibility to review, clarify, and amend 
immigration statutes to ensure they reflect legisla-
tive intent. 
SEC. 3. TERMINATION OF TEMPORARY PROTECTED STATUS 
FOR CERTAIN COUNTRIES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 244 of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1254a) is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(o) TERMINATION OF DESIGNATIONS FOR CERTAIN 
COUNTRIES.— 
‘‘(1) 
TERMINATION.—Notwithstanding 
any 
other provision of this section or any other provision 
of law, the designation of a foreign state under this 
section shall terminate with respect to nationals of— 
‘‘(A) Somalia; 
‘‘(B) Sudan; 
‘‘(C) Syria; 
‘‘(D) Yemen; and 
‘‘(E) Lebanon. 
‘‘(2) PROHIBITION
ON
REDESIGNATION.—The 
Secretary of Homeland Security may not designate 
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or redesignate any country listed in paragraph (1) 
under this section on or after the date of enactment 
of this subsection, except pursuant to a statute en-
acted after such date that expressly authorizes such 
designation.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The termination of Tem-
porary Protected Status under subsection (o) of section 
244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as added by 
subsection (a), shall take effect 180 days after the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 4. ORDERLY WIND-DOWN AND DEPARTURE REQUIRE-
MENTS. 
(a) CESSATION
OF LAWFUL PRESENCE
AND RE-
QUIRED DEPARTURE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), any individual whose Temporary Pro-
tected Status is terminated pursuant to section 
244(o) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
shall— 
(A) depart the United States not later 
than the effective date described in section 2(b); 
and 
(B) cease to be considered lawfully present 
in the United States on and after such date. 
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(2) EXCEPTION
FOR
INDEPENDENT
LAWFUL 
STATUS.—Paragraph (1) shall not apply to an indi-
vidual who, on or before the termination date, has 
been granted— 
(A) lawful permanent resident status; 
(B) nonimmigrant status under section 
101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act; 
(C) asylum under section 208 of such Act; 
or 
(D) any other lawful immigration status 
independent of Temporary Protected Status. 
(3) NO
CONTINUING
PROTECTION
FROM
RE-
MOVAL.—An individual described in paragraph (1) 
shall be subject to removal under the Immigration 
and Nationality Act if such individual remains in the 
United States after the termination date without 
lawful status. 
(b) LIMITED STAY OF REMOVAL PRIOR TO TERMI-
NATION DATE.—During the 180-day period preceding the 
termination date described in section 2(b), the Secretary 
of Homeland Security may not remove an individual solely 
on the basis of the termination of Temporary Protected 
Status. 
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(c) EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION.—Any employ-
ment authorization document issued pursuant to Tem-
porary Protected Status for an individual described in sec-
tion 2(a) shall expire on the termination date specified in 
section 2(b) and may not be extended thereafter. 
SEC. 5. RULE OF CONSTRUCTION. 
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to— 
(1) require the Secretary of Homeland Security 
to grant any form of discretionary relief from re-
moval; 
(2) limit the authority of the Secretary to deny 
any application for immigration benefits; or 
(3) confer any right to remain in the United 
States beyond the termination date described in sec-
tion 2(b). 
Æ 
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