A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s plan to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudanese migrants, saying the policy cannot be terminated until the legal challenges are fully reviewed.
The ruling came after several South Sudanese nationals and an immigrant-rights group filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), arguing that ending TPS would expose beneficiaries to deportation while their case is still pending in court.
U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley, a Biden-appointed jurist, issued an administrative stay that prevents the planned termination of TPS for South Sudanese nationals from taking effect on January 5, 2026.
The judge said allowing the termination before the court has reviewed the full case could cause “irreparable harm,” including stripping beneficiaries of lawful status, work authorization, and protection from deportation.
The Trump administration, through DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, announced the decision to end South Sudan’s TPS designation in November, saying conditions in the East African nation had improved enough to no longer warrant the temporary protections.
DHS officials have similarly moved to end TPS for other nationalities as part of President Trump’s broader immigration enforcement initiatives aimed at restoring legal status and reducing unlawful stays in the United States.
TPS is a humanitarian immigration designation that shields migrants from deportation and grants work authorization when their home countries are experiencing war, environmental disaster, or other severe conditions. South Sudan has been designated for TPS since 2011 amid ongoing conflict.
Conservative immigration advocates aligned with President Trump’s America-First agenda have criticized the court’s decision as an example of judicial overreach that undermines executive authority to enforce immigration laws.
They argue that Congress and the administration should have full discretion to determine when TPS designations should end and that extending the status delays necessary deportations and border enforcement. Supporters of the administration say the rule of law and orderly immigration policy require clear enforcement of statutory protections.
The case is expected to continue through litigation in early 2026, with the court considering the merits of whether the administration acted within its legal authority to terminate TPS for South Sudanese nationals.
