Trump admin extends immigration protection for South Sudanese

The Trump administration has granted temporary protected status (TPS) holders from South Sudan an 18-month extension.

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen announced the extension on Friday, saying that she made the decision after reviewing conditions on the ground. 

“After carefully reviewing conditions in South Sudan with interagency partners, Secretary Nielsen determined the ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions that support South Sudan’s current designation for TPS continue to exist,” the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said in a statement. 

The extension allows the 84 TPS beneficiaries from South Sudan to reregister to remain in the country until Nov. 2, 2020. 

TPS allows people from countries that are undergoing national or political disasters to live and work temporarily in the U.S. 

DHS announced last week that it was also extending TPS for people from Sudan, El Salvador, Haiti and Nicaragua while the administration faces lawsuits over its efforts to downsize the program.

DHS originally sought to end TPS benefits for people from these four countries, but extended those designations to comply with an October court order. 

The administration’s decisions to end TPS for Haiti and El Salvador came under heavy criticism. TPS benefits for people from the four countries has been renewed until Jan. 2, 2020. 

The National TPS alliance, a TPS advocacy group, said the new extension is evidence that that its advocacy was making a difference. 

“This small concession is proof that our advocacy is working, yet far from over,” National TPS Alliance Coordinator José Palma said in a statement to The Hill.

“Secretary Nielsen is facing a major lawsuit the racist cancellation of the program and the procedural violations,” he added. “While we recognize the extension it does not deter us from the real objective of reforming our immigration policy and ensuring a permanent protection for all TPS holders.”