The United States has scheduled the termination of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) previously extended to nationals of South Sudan. This provision had, for years, allowed people from the East African country to remain legally within the U.S., safely away from armed conflict in their homeland.
The Department of Homeland Security announced that the protection will cease on January 5. Following internal deliberations, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem made a judgment. She concluded that current conditions in South Sudan no longer meet the mandated statutory criteria for the TPS designation.
Departure Incentives Offered to Nationals
The policy change is a significant setback for South Sudanese nationals. The country itself remains politically volatile and continues to be a source of numerous refugees seeking safety abroad.
The end of the TPS designation includes a unique departure incentive plan. South Sudanese citizens who use the Customs and Border Protection mobile application to report their exit may qualify for various benefits. These incentives include a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus, and possible future opportunities for legal immigration.
Local Leader Sees Diplomatic Fallout
Edmund Yakani, a prominent civic leader in South Sudan, views the decision as possibly signaling diplomatic friction. He suggested the action may be a “clear demonstration that South Sudan is no longer cooperating with the US on matters of deportation of foreign nationals.”
Yakani pointed out that South Sudan had previously declined to accept a second phase of U.S. deportees. He speculated that this refusal may have strained relations with the Trump administration.
He believes the administration’s decision to end protections for those who fled the war is a direct consequence. Earlier this year, at least eight men were deported from the U.S. to South Sudan as part of a repatriation program.
South Sudan first received the TPS designation in 2011, the year it gained independence. The status is typically reviewed and renewed in 18-month cycles. The Trump administration has taken steps to withdraw several such protections, including those previously extended to hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Haiti and Venezuela.
Unraveling Peace and Humanitarian Crisis
The South Sudanese government continues to face immense difficulties in delivering basic state services. Years of internal conflict have made the country heavily reliant on external aid. However, this vital assistance has been significantly curtailed due to sweeping cuts in foreign assistance enacted by the Trump administration.
Prolonged conflict has left many South Sudanese facing severe food shortages. A recent hunger monitoring report indicated that several areas impacted by conflict are rapidly deteriorating toward famine conditions.
While a 2018 peace agreement was intended to end fighting between the forces of President Salva Kiir and his former deputy Riek Machar, observers suggest the deal is eroding. This concern follows Machar’s arrest earlier this year on criminal charges, including treason, ordered by President Kiir.
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