The Trump administration is set to terminate deportation protections for South Sudanese immigrants who have been in the United States for over 14 years.
As stated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), those from South Sudan who entered the U.S. in 2011 will now be at risk of deportation if they do not leave voluntarily. Since resuming its term, the Trump administration has been moving to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for various groups, including individuals from Venezuela, Haiti, and Syria.
A DHS representative commented that under the previous administration, TPS was, perhaps too liberally, used, leading to the entrance of individuals considered national security threats. They mentioned that TPS was never intended to be a permanent measure.
With the ongoing peace in South Sudan and a commitment to reintegrate returning nationals safely, the spokesperson believes it is time to wrap up what was always meant to be a temporary status.
Originally granted TPS in 2011 following its independence from Sudan, South Sudan’s designation had been renewed during the Obama and Biden administrations, as well as in Trump’s first term. The most recent extension occurred in May.
Although South Sudan has endured extensive civil conflict, DHS has pointed to improving negotiations with the transitional government and an enhancement in security conditions, suggesting the country is prepared to accept nationals returning home.
While there are certainly lingering issues from the civil war, DHS stated that no significant armed conflicts currently threaten the safety of those returning.
Even with border tensions and sporadic violence tied to ethnic divisions, a full-scale civil war appears to have been avoided, the official noted. Recent diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and the South Sudanese government also suggest a commitment to ensuring the safety of returnees.
The Trump administration has encountered legal hurdles with previous TPS expirations. However, the Supreme Court recently ruled in its favor, allowing the cessation of protected status for numerous Venezuelan individuals. In another ruling, a federal appeals court backed the administration’s move to revoke TPS for about 60,000 individuals from Honduras, Nicaragua, and Nepal.
