US ends protected status for South Sudanese nationals

WASHINGTON – The Trump administration is moving to end the humanitarian protection for South Sudanese nationals living in the United States, revoking a legal status that has shielded them from deportation for more than a decade. The decision, announced by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) this week, is the latest in a series of immigration crackdowns central to the president’s “America First” agenda.

According to a formal DHS notice published Wednesday, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for South Sudan has been terminated. This gives approximately 232 protected individuals, plus 73 with pending applications, a 60-day grace period to arrange their departure from the United States. Failure to leave by the deadline in early January will make them subject to deportation.

What is Temporary Protected Status (TPS)?

The TPS program is a provision of U.S. immigration law that offers safe haven to foreign nationals whose home countries are deemed unsafe due to ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary conditions. It provides recipients with protection from removal and allows them to obtain work permits legally.

South Sudan was originally designated for TPS in 2011 following its independence, which was quickly marred by violence. A brutal civil war from 2013 to 2018 resulted in an estimated 400,000 deaths. Despite a fragile peace agreement, the country continues to face severe humanitarian crises. Just this week, a U.N.-backed monitor reported that food insecurity and malnutrition in South Sudan remain “extremely high.”

DHS: Conditions “No Longer Met”

In its notice, DHS concluded that the conditions stemming from the 2011 conflict that justified South Sudan’s original designation have sufficiently improved, and the country “no longer met the conditions” for TPS. This assessment has been met with criticism from immigrant advocacy groups who point to the ongoing instability and famine risks.

Part of a Broader Immigration Crackdown

The termination of TPS for South Sudan aligns with the Trump administration’s consistent efforts to narrow eligibility for humanitarian protections. Since taking office, President Trump has sought to strip TPS from hundreds of thousands of migrants from a number of countries, including Syria, Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba, and Nicaragua—though some of these decisions face legal challenges.

Separately, the administration has also set the annual cap on refugee admissions to a historic low, further restricting pathways to safety for those fleeing global crises.

The move leaves hundreds of South Sudanese nationals, many of whom have built lives, careers, and families in the U.S. over the past decade, with a difficult and urgent decision in the coming months.