Four South Sudanese migrants, in conjunction with the non-profit organization African Communities Together, filed the lawsuit in a federal court in Boston on Monday, claiming that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is unlawfully jeopardizing their temporary protected status, effective after January 5.
This status, referred to as TPS, is accessible to individuals from countries that have encountered natural disasters, armed conflicts, or other extraordinary situations. It grants eligible migrants work authorization and temporary protection from deportation.
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The lawsuit contends that the agency’s actions breached the regulations governing the TPS program, disregarded the severe humanitarian issues still plaguing South Sudan, and were motivated by discrimination against non-white migrants, in violation of the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
“This pattern exposes the administration’s true agenda: to strip protections from immigrant communities of color despite the threats they confront,” stated Amaha Kassa, the executive director of African Communities Together.
The Department of Homeland Security has not yet responded to a request for comments.
Since gaining independence in 2011, South Sudan has experienced ongoing violent conflicts, including a civil war from 2013 to 2018 that claimed around 400,000 lives. The U.S. designated South Sudan for TPS in 2011.
Approximately 232 South Sudanese nationals have benefitted from TPS and found safety in the United States, while another 73 have pending applications for the same protection, as stated in the lawsuit.
On November 5, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the termination of TPS for South Sudan, asserting that the country no longer fulfilled the necessary criteria for such designation.
This decision followed the department’s move to terminate similar temporary protections for foreign nationals from countries like Syria, Venezuela, Haiti, Cuba, and Nicaragua, leading to multiple court challenges.
(Edited by : Srabastee Biswas)
