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A federal judge has cleared the way for the Trump administration to terminate temporary protected status for hundreds of South Sudanese nationals currently living in the United States. U.S. District Judge Patti Saris of Massachusetts rejected arguments from immigrant advocacy groups seeking to maintain the protections on Friday, paving the way for the government to proceed with ending their legal residency and work authorization.
The ruling represents another victory for the Trump administration following a June Supreme Court decision that allowed it to strip protections from hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian nationals. Judge Saris addressed claims that the Department of Homeland Security lacked the authority to terminate the status, determining that if the agency could issue the designation, it similarly possessed the power to revoke it. The judge found the plaintiffs’ arguments to be self-contradictory in their legal foundation.
South Sudan has faced decades of civil conflict and political turmoil since its 2011 independence, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and mass displacement. The administration announced plans to terminate the country’s TPS designation in November, affecting over 230 South Sudanese nationals and dozens more with pending applications. Advocacy groups argue that many TPS holders work in critical sectors experiencing labor shortages, including healthcare, construction, and hospitality, and collectively contribute billions annually to the U.S. economy.
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Originally reported by Theguardian →
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