Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas extended and redesignated South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. This extension is effective Nov. 4-May 3, 2025, due to the ongoing armed conflict and temporary conditions in South Sudan that make a safe return impossible, according to a Sept. 5 news release.
“Through the extension and redesignation of South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status, the United States will continue to offer safety and protection to South Sudanese nationals who may not be able to return to their country due to the ongoing armed conflict and humanitarian crisis,” Mayorkas said in the release. “We will continue to offer our support to South Sudanese nationals through this temporary form of humanitarian relief.”
The extension allows approximately 133 current TPS beneficiaries to maintain their status, and the redesignation permits an estimated 140 additional eligible South Sudanese nationals to apply for TPS if they meet residency requirements, the release reported.
The announcement is accompanied by a notice in the Federal Register, outlining the procedure for new or existing beneficiaries to register for TPS under South Sudan's extension and redesignation. In addition to this, a Special Student Relief notice is provided for F-1 nonimmigrant students hailing from South Sudan. These students are now eligible to request employment authorization, increase their working hours during the school term, and reduce their course load while maintaining their F-1 status throughout the TPS designation period, the release said.
This extension and redesignation were made after consultations with interagency partners, led by Mayorkas. It was deemed necessary due to the ongoing conditions that initially led to South Sudan's TPS designation. These conditions include violence, human rights violations against civilians and concerns related to the environment, health and food security, according to the release.
The TPS extension allows approximately 133 existing beneficiaries to maintain their TPS status until May 3, 2025, as long as they meet the established eligibility criteria. Moreover, the redesignation of South Sudan for TPS opens the door for around 140 additional South Sudanese nationals (or individuals without nationality who last resided in South Sudan) who have continuously lived in the U.S. since Sept. 4, and have been physically present since Nov. 4, to apply for TPS, provided they meet all eligibility requirements, the release said.
For those who were previously granted TPS under South Sudan's prior designation, re-registration is imperative. Existing beneficiaries must re-register within the 60-day re-registration window, spanning Sept. 6-Nov. 6, to ensure the continuation of their TPS status and employment authorization, according to the release.
Recognizing potential delays in the issuance of new Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) to re-registrants, DHS has taken measures to automatically extend the validity of EADs issued under South Sudan's TPS designation until Nov. 3, 2024, the release reported.
Furthermore, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will continue processing pending applications submitted under previous TPS designations for South Sudan. This means individuals with pending Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status, or related Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, as of Sept. 5, are not required to submit new applications. If these pending applications are approved, USCIS will grant TPS status until May 3, 2025, and issue corresponding EADs, the release said.
