A US federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration may strip Temporary Protected Status from hundreds of South Sudanese nationals living in the United States, rejecting a challenge by immigrant rights groups.
Key facts
- US district judge Patti Saris of the district of Massachusetts issued the ruling on Friday.
- The decision allows the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudanese nationals.
- Immigrant rights groups, including the New York-based African Communities Together, had sought to keep the protections.
- The ruling follows a supreme court decision that allowed the US government to strip protections for Haitians and Syrians.
- Hundreds of South Sudanese nationals in the US are affected.
Temporary protected status (TPS) for hundreds of South Sudanese nationals in the United States is set to end after a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration can move forward with stripping their protections, according to the Guardian.
On Friday, US district judge Patti Saris of the district of Massachusetts rejected an attempt by immigrant rights organizations to keep TPS for South Sudanese nationals living in the US.
Among the groups that challenged the move was the New York-based African Communities Together, which had sought to preserve the protections for those affected.
The Guardian reported that the decision follows a supreme court ruling that allowed the US government to strip protections for Haitians and Syrians, indicating a broader pattern in recent decisions affecting TPS holders.
Temporary Protected Status is a designation that allows nationals of certain countries to remain in the United States when conditions in their home countries are deemed unsafe. The latest ruling clears a legal path for the administration to end that status for South Sudanese nationals.
The number of people directly affected is described as hundreds of South Sudanese nationals currently living in the United States.
Why it matters
The ruling affects hundreds of South Sudanese nationals who have relied on Temporary Protected Status to remain legally in the United States. It also reflects a wider trend, following a supreme court decision on Haitian and Syrian protections, that could reshape how TPS is applied to nationals of other countries.
Frequently asked questions
Who issued the ruling on South Sudan TPS?
US district judge Patti Saris of the district of Massachusetts issued the ruling on Friday, allowing the Trump administration to move forward with ending the protections.
Who challenged the end of TPS for South Sudanese nationals?
Immigrant rights organizations, including the New York-based African Communities Together, sought to keep TPS for South Sudanese nationals living in the US.
How does this connect to other TPS decisions?
According to the Guardian, the decision follows a supreme court ruling that allowed the US government to strip protections for Haitians and Syrians.