Judge permits end of South Sudan temporary protected status

A federal district court in Massachusetts has cleared the way for the United States government to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of South Sudanese nationals living in the country. The decision, issued by Judge Patti Saris on Friday, follows a recent Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the administration’s authority to withdraw TPS designations for Haiti and Syria. Immigrant‑rights groups, including New York‑based African Communities Together, had sought a preliminary injunction to preserve the South Sudanese TPS, but the court rejected the request, allowing the Department of Homeland Security to proceed with the termination.

The ruling ends the legal shield that has protected South Sudanese refugees from removal and authorized work authorization since the designation was first granted in 2011. With the court’s order, the Department of Homeland Security is expected to issue a notice of termination, after which affected individuals will have a limited period to apply for other forms of relief or face possible deportation. The decision underscores the broader impact of the Supreme Court’s precedent on the administration’s ability to modify humanitarian protections, signaling a shift in U.S. immigration policy for vulnerable populations.