Trump cannot end deportation protections for South Sudanese nationals, US judge rules

Trump cannot end deportation protections for South Sudanese nationals, US judge rules 

Boston's federal judge Patti Saris stopped the U.S. government's decision to terminate the Provisional Protection Status (TPS) of South Sudan citizens on February 12. TPS grants those who flee war, natural disaster or other emergency situations the right to live and work temporarily in the USA. Homeland Security Minister Kristi Noem wanted to end the program in November, saying that the situation in South Sudan no longer justifies this protection. But Judge Saris saw Noem's justification as an "excuse" and said that the Trump administration's plan to end the TPS for all countries was followed. The decision statedthat there were serious signs that Noem was hiding the facts in South Sudan and that political reasons prevailed in his decision. The immigration rights organization called African Communities Together and some South Sudanese living in the USA took this decision to court. In the lawsuit documents, it was reminded that the conflicts and humanitarian crisis in South Sudan are still very severe, about 400 thousand people died in the civil war that broke out after independence in 2011, and the country still has not reached stability. The US State Department still advises its citizens not to go to South Sudan. Homeland Security Department spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin criticized the court's decision as "an example of judicial activism usurping the president's authority". In the documents submitted to the court, there was also information that approximately 232 South Sudanese in the USA live under TPS, and 73 people were pending their applications. Saris's decision showed that Noem's approach could be effective not only for South Sudan, but also for other countries such as Haiti, Venezuela and Ethiopia. In short, this case was an important example in the US immigration policy that strengthened the judicial duty of oversight against the executive. 

RESOURCES:Reuters. (2026, February 12). Trump cannot end deportation protections for South Sudanese nationals, U.S. judge rules. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-cannot-end-deportation-protections-south-sudanese-nationals-us-judge-rules-2026-02-12/