Although residual challenges from the civil war remain, there is no longer an ongoing armed conflict that poses a serious threat to the personal safety of returning South Sudanese nationals. The Secretary has also determined that while certain extraordinary and temporary conditions remain, the termination of the South Sudan designation is required because it is contrary to the national interest to permit South Sudanese nationals (or nationals having no nationality who last habitually resided in South Sudan) to remain temporarily in the United States.

In the Temporary Protected Status statute, Congress expressly prohibits the Secretary from designating a country for Temporary Protected Status based on extraordinary and temporary conditions if she finds that “permitting the aliens to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the national interest of the United States.” INA 244(b)(1)(C), 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(1)(C). Accordingly, as the Department and the Attorney General have long recognized, such a “national interest” assessment is an essential element of a determination whether to extend or terminate a country's Temporary Protected Status designation, including the 2023 South Sudan designation, which was based on “extraordinary and temporary conditions.”  16

“National interest” is an expansive standard that may encompass an array of broad considerations, including foreign policy, public safety ( e.g., potential nexus to criminal gang membership), national security, migration factors ( e.g., pull factors), immigration policy ( e.g., enforcement prerogatives), and economic considerations ( e.g., adverse effects on U.S. workers, impact on U.S. communities). 17 Determining whether permitting a class of aliens to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the U.S. national interest therefore calls upon the Secretary's expertise and discretionary judgment, informed by her consultations with appropriate U.S. Government agencies.

There are compelling foreign policy reasons for ending the Temporary Protected Status designation for South Sudan as the designation can carry implicit foreign policy messages. Considering the Department of State's stated goal of ensuring that South Sudan accepts the return of its citizens in a timely manner when the United States seeks to remove them, 18 the transitional South Sudanese government's current compliance with such removals, 19 and the continued partnership between the United States and South Sudan in third country removals, 20 the termination of the Temporary Protected Status designation for South Sudan serves the diplomatic interests of the United States by sending consistent foreign policy messaging at a pivotal moment in U.S.-South Sudan relations.

In addition to foreign policy concerns, there are public safety and national security risks associated with the continued designation of South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status. A portion of the South Sudan Temporary Protected Status population has been subjects of administrative investigation for fraud, public safety and national security concerns. The Secretary accordingly took account of those cases in making her determination that permitting South Sudanese Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries to remain in the United States is contrary to the national interest of the United States.

President Trump in his recent immigration and border-related executive orders and proclamations, clearly articulated an array of policy imperatives bearing upon the national interest. In Executive Order 14159, President Trump underscored that enforcing the immigration laws “is critically important to the national security and public safety of the United States.”  21 In furtherance of that objective, the President directed the Secretary, along with the Attorney General and Secretary of State, to promptly take all appropriate action, consistent with law, to rescind policies that led to increased or continued presence of illegal aliens in the United States. 22 Among the directed actions are to ensure that the Temporary Protected Status designations are consistent with the Temporary Protected Status statute and “are appropriately limited in scope and made for only so long as may be necessary to fulfill the textual requirements of that statute.”  23

DHS estimates that there are 232 current approved beneficiaries under the designation of South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status. As of October 6, 2025, there are 73 total pending applications for the designation of South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status. 24

The Temporary Protected Status statute provides that the termination of a country's Temporary Protected Status designation may not be effective earlier than 60 days after the notice is published in the Federal Register or, if later, the expiration of the most-recent previous extension. See INA sec. 244(b)(3)(B), 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(3)(B).

The Temporary Protected Status statute authorizes the Secretary, at her discretion, to allow for an extended “orderly transition” period with respect to the termination and the expiration of any Temporary Protected Status-related documentation, such as Employment Authorization Documents. The Secretary has determined, in her discretion, that a 60-day transition period is sufficient and warranted here given the Secretary's finding that continuing to permit the South Sudanese nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the U.S. national interest. See INA sec. 244(d)(3), 8 U.S.C. 1254a(d)(3). 25 Accordingly, the termination of the South Sudan Temporary Protected Status designation will be effective 60 days from this notice's publication date. 26

DHS recognizes that South Sudanese Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries continue to be authorized to work during the 60-day transition period. 27 Accordingly, through this Federal Register notice, DHS automatically extends the validity of certain Employment Authorization Documents previously issued under the Temporary Protected Status designation of South Sudan through January 5, 2026. Therefore, as proof of continued employment authorization through January 5, 2026, Temporary Protected Status beneficiaries can show their Employment Authorization Documents that have the notation A-12 or C-19 under Category and a “Card Expires” dates of November 3, 2023, May 3, 2025, and November 3, 2025.

The Secretary has considered putative reliance interests in the South Sudan Temporary Protected Status designation, especially when considering whether to allow for an additional transition period akin to that allowed under certain previous Temporary Protected Status terminations. Temporary Protected Status, as the name itself makes clear, is an inherently temporary status. Temporary Protected Status designations are time-limited and must be periodically reviewed, and Temporary Protected Status notices clearly notify aliens of the designations' expiration dates. Whether to allow for an orderly transition period is left to the Secretary's unfettered discretion. See INA sec. 244(b)(3), (d)(3); 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(3), (d)(3). The statute inherently contemplates advance notice of a termination by requiring timely publication of the Secretary's determination and delaying the effective date of the termination by at least 60 days after publication of a Federal Register notice of the termination or, if later, the existing expiration date. See INA sec. 244(b)(3)(A)-(B), (d)(3); 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(3)(A)-(B), (d)(3).

By the authority vested in me as Secretary under INA section 244(b)(3), 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(3), I have reviewed, in consultation with the appropriate U.S. Government agencies, (a) conditions in South Sudan; (b) whether permitting the nationals of South Sudan (and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in South Sudan) to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to the national interest of the United States; (c) whether South Sudan is experiencing ongoing armed conflict that poses a serious threat to the personal safety of South Sudan nationals, and (d) whether extraordinary and temporary conditions in South Sudan that prevent South Sudanese nationals from returning in safety continue to exist. Based on my review, I have determined that South Sudan no longer continues to meet the conditions for Temporary Protected Status under INA section 244(b)(1)(A) or (C), 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(1)(A) or (C).

Accordingly, I order as follows:

(1) Pursuant to INA section 244(b)(3)(B), 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(3)(B), and considering INA section 244(d)(3), 8 U.S.C. 1254a(d)(3), the designation of South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status is terminated effective at 11:59 p.m., local time, on January 5, 2026.

(2) Information concerning the termination of Temporary Protected Status for nationals of South Sudan (and aliens having no nationality who last habitually resided in South Sudan) under the designation will be available at local USCIS offices upon publication of this notice and through the USCIS Contact Center at 1-800-375-5283. This information will also be published on the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov.