Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its decision to extend but not redesignate South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for another 18 months. Extending without redesignating South Sudan for TPS fails to take into consideration the country’s deteriorating conditions as well as the thousands of South Sudanese already in the U.S., who should be protected.
According to Douglas Rivlin, Director of Communication for America’s Voice:
Given the continued deteriorating situation on the ground in South Sudan, the need to extend TPS for South Sudan for another 18 months was obvious. However, while we breathe a sigh of relief for those few covered by this decision, it is enraging that the program wasn’t re-designated to cover the rest of the families now left in limbo. The conditions in South Sudan warranted a full redesignation to cover all the families living, working, paying taxes and raising kids in the U.S. whose lives would be in danger if we deport them to South Sudan.
Here’s the reality: President Trump, Stephen Miller and their henchmen want to displace deeply rooted immigrants who have built their lives in the United States by limiting or eliminating any legal ways for them to stay here. If we want to protect families from South Sudan who live here and who could be in danger if we deport them, we must remember that TPS is on the ballot this November. The only way we can ensure the full protection of TPS holders from Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Nicaragua, Nepal, Honduras, Haiti, El Salvador, Yemen — and South Sudan — is to remove Donald Trump and his GOP enablers from office on Election Day. The same goes for those protected by DACA. We must ensure that a new Administration can take action on Day 1 to keep our American family together.
