Federal Judge Halts Trump’s Plan to End South Sudanese Deportation Protections. Boston, Massachusetts — A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction against the Trump administration’s attempt to end temporary protected status (TPS) for South Sudanese citizens in the United States. US District Judge Angel Kelley granted the emergency request on Tuesday, preventing the status from expiring on January 5 as the administration had sought.
The lawsuit, filed by the African Communities Together and several South Sudanese nationals, accused the US Department of Homeland Security of acting unlawfully in its attempt to strip South Sudanese citizens of TPS.
The status was initially granted in 2011 following South Sudan’s separation from Sudan and has been renewed amid ongoing conflict and instability.
The status allows eligible individuals to work and receive temporary protection from deportation.
The lawsuit claimed that the administration’s move exposed South Sudan citizens to being deported to a country facing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem had argued that the country no longer met the conditions for TPS, citing peace agreements and improved diplomatic relations.
However, the United Nations reported that while the conflict’s contours may have changed, the human suffering remains unchanged, with food insecurity and pockets of famine reported.
The Trump administration has been increasingly targeting TPS as part of its immigration crackdown, seeking to end the status for citizens from several countries, including Syria, Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba, and Nicaragua. This move has faced several court challenges.
The situation remains under review, with further details expected to emerge as the legal battle unfolds.
