South Sudanese nationals in the US now face possible deportation after Washington ends Temporary Protected Status, despite ongoing instability in their home country
The United States, has officially ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudanese nationals, bringing an end to more than a decade of humanitarian relief for citizens fleeing conflict and instability.
In a notice published Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that South Sudan’s TPS designation expired on Monday.
A 60-day grace period has been granted for affected individuals to depart before deportations begin in early January 2026.
End of a Humanitarian Lifeline
The TPS program shields migrants from deportation and allows them to work legally in the US if their home countries are plagued by war, natural disasters, or severe crises.
South Sudan’s designation, first granted after its independence in 2011, has protected about 232 people, with 73 more applications still pending.
However, DHS said the country “no longer meets the conditions for designation,” despite persistent violence, hunger, and displacement.
South Sudan remains one of the world’s most fragile states. A civil war between 2013 and 2018 killed roughly 400,000 people, displaced millions, and left lasting humanitarian scars. Even with ongoing peace efforts, the country faces food shortages, insecurity, and severe malnutrition.
A recent UN-backed report warned that food insecurity levels remain “extremely high.”
Trump’s tough immigration agenda
The decision aligns with former President Donald Trump’s tough immigration agenda, which targeted humanitarian programs for migrants from several nations, including Syria, Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba, and Nicaragua.
Trump’s administration has also set record-low limits on refugee admissions, a move critics say undermines America’s long-standing humanitarian values.
Many of the TPS terminations under his leadership have faced legal challenges in US courts, with advocacy groups calling them “inhumane” and “politically driven.”
Uncertain Future for South Sudanese in the US
For hundreds of South Sudanese families living in the United States, the decision has sparked anxiety and uncertainty.
Without TPS, many face the risk of deportation to a country still reeling from violence, poverty, and hunger.
Human rights advocates have urged the administration to reconsider, warning that sending people back could expose them to persecution or starvation.
“Ending TPS for South Sudan at this moment abandons people to an unsafe and unstable situation,” one immigration advocate said.
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