DHS Terminates South Sudan TPS Designation, 60-Day Departure Window

(UNITED STATES) The Department of Homeland Security has ended Temporary Protected Status for South Sudan, a move that takes effect on November 3, 2025 and starts a countdown for thousands of people who have lived and worked legally in the United States under the program. A formal notice in the Federal Register is set to publish this week, triggering a 60-day grace period for South Sudanese TPS holders to depart voluntarily or risk being placed in removal proceedings. DHS estimates roughly 5,000 South Sudanese nationals are currently covered by the designation, which will lapse fully in January 2026, when the grace window closes.

The decision, taken by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem after consultations with the State Department and other federal agencies, follows more than a decade of TPS protections first offered in 2011 as South Sudan struggled with armed conflict and “extraordinary conditions” following independence. DHS officials said conditions had improved sufficiently to end the designation and argued that extending it would be “contrary” to U.S. interests. The termination marks a sharp turn after multiple renewals, including an 18‑month extension announced by then‑DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that ran from November 4, 2023 to May 3, 2025, and an automatic six‑month continuation through November 3, 2025.

The department’s reasoning rests on an assessment that active conflict has subsided, diplomatic ties have strengthened, and South Sudan’s government has committed to reintegrating returning nationals. DHS has framed the move as a policy choice aligned with broader U.S. objectives in the region, while stressing that those covered will have a defined period to leave and options for voluntary departure. Once TPS ends, individuals revert to the immigration status they held before receiving TPS; for many, that means they will have no lawful status and could be subject to removal.

Human rights officials and outside observers warn that ending TPS now risks pushing vulnerable people back into instability. In September, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said,

“With fears of a collapse of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement and a return to widespread violence intensifying, I deeply worry for the plight of civilians in South Sudan.”

The concern has grown as the country approaches a delicate political period in which competing armed groups remain active and state institutions remain weak. U.N. commissioner Barney Afako warned in October,

“All indicators point to a slide back toward another deadly war.”

Those warnings underscore the gulf between DHS’s assessment and humanitarian reporting from South Sudan, where, according to the United Nations and aid organizations, nearly three‑quarters of the population—about 9 million people—need humanitarian assistance. Some 7.7 million people face acute food insecurity, a number driven by a mix of flooding, conflict‑related displacement, and economic crisis. These conditions often shape TPS decisions, which are meant to be temporary in nature and based on whether people can safely return. The United States still maintains a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory for South Sudan because of persistent armed conflict, crime, and kidnapping, guidance that suggests the security environment remains volatile.

For people on the ground in the United States, the immediate stakes are practical and urgent. DHS has told South Sudanese nationals covered by TPS to prepare to depart within the 60-day window after the Federal Register notice posts, or face possible enforcement action. The department is encouraging those who choose voluntary departure to use the Customs and Border Protection “CBP Home” mobile app, a tool DHS says will offer a complimentary plane ticket, an exit bonus of $1,000, and potential pathways for future legal immigration to the United States, although details of those pathways have not yet been outlined. Officials have not specified which routes might be available later, or how eligibility would be determined, but they describe the incentives as a way to make departures orderly and lessen disruption for individuals and families.

The January cutoff has legal consequences that go beyond work authorization. TPS provides protection from deportation and access to work permits but does not, on its own, lead to permanent status. When TPS ends, recipients return to their prior immigration posture; if they held no status before TPS, they become undocumented and can be placed in removal proceedings. Attorneys and community advocates typically advise people in this situation to review any other possible immigration avenues well ahead of expiration, but the timeline is tight. DHS’s publication will start the clock, and the department has not indicated it will offer case-by-case extensions beyond the grace period.

The department’s announcement caps 14 years during which South Sudanese TPS holders built lives in the United States with the ability to work lawfully, rent apartments, and enroll children in school without the constant threat of deportation. That stability, even if temporary, has allowed families to send remittances back to relatives in a country where the currency has plummeted and food prices have surged. The stabilization effects often work both ways: communities in cities from Omaha to Phoenix, which host South Sudanese diaspora networks, have grown used to the labor of TPS holders in sectors like health care support, warehouses, and meatpacking.

In Washington, the choice to wind down protections now carries political weight. DHS cited improved conditions and an assessment that a continuation would be “contrary” to U.S. interests, language that signals a tighter overall approach to humanitarian protections. While DHS did not elaborate publicly on that phrase, officials often weigh foreign policy priorities and migration management goals when deciding whether to extend or terminate TPS for a country. The process requires consultation across agencies and a formal notice process, and it has, in past administrations, been the subject of court challenges when plaintiffs alleged improper reasoning or inadequate consideration of country conditions.

The discord between DHS’s decision and U.N. warnings is especially stark given the statistics coming out of South Sudan. Aid groups say localized clashes, intercommunal violence, and abuses by armed actors persist despite the 2018 peace deal. Displacement from neighboring conflicts has added pressure on fragile services and food supplies.

“With fears of a collapse of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement and a return to widespread violence intensifying, I deeply worry for the plight of civilians in South Sudan,”

Turk said, capturing the anxiety among agencies that coordinate relief. Afako put it more bluntly:

“All indicators point to a slide back toward another deadly war.”

On the U.S. side, the Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory remains in force, highlighting the risks of crime and kidnapping alongside the threat of renewed conflict. That advisory sits uneasily with the DHS termination rationale but reflects how different arms of government assess risk for different purposes. Travel advisories guide U.S. citizens; TPS decisions consider whether foreign nationals already in the United States face unsafe conditions if returned. Still, the overlap is unavoidable, and South Sudan’s deep economic distress compounds the security picture. When 7.7 million people are estimated to face acute food insecurity, returnees often struggle to find work, housing, and even reliable access to meals.

The coming weeks will be crucial for families deciding what to do. Some may explore voluntary departure using the CBP app, drawn by the promise of a paid ticket and the $1,000 exit bonus. Others may seek consultations to determine if they qualify for any other immigration pathway. DHS has emphasized that once the grace period ends in January 2026, enforcement actions could follow. The department has not detailed how aggressively it will pursue removals, but the formal end of TPS closes off work authorization and makes daily life harder as driver’s licenses and other state benefits tied to lawful presence expire.

The mechanics of the wind-down will likely be set out in the Federal Register notice, a document that typically clarifies timelines, eligibility cutoffs, and any automatic extensions for related benefits such as employment authorization documents. In previous TPS terminations for other countries, DHS has sometimes allowed work permits to remain valid until the end of the grace period to avoid sudden job loss and to help employers plan. South Sudanese TPS holders will need to keep close watch for the notice and any FAQs that DHS or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services publish to explain next steps. The USCIS website maintains country pages and general information for TPS recipients, including instructions on documentation; the USCIS Temporary Protected Status page is the primary official resource for updates.

The end of the program also carries ripple effects in South Sudan, where remittances from abroad serve as a lifeline. Money sent home has helped pay for school fees, medical care, and food staples as the economy struggles with inflation and limited formal employment. A sudden decline in remittances could strain households already on the edge. While DHS officials point to the South Sudanese government’s stated commitment to reintegration, international agencies warn that the capacity to absorb returnees at scale remains limited. Services are stretched thin in Juba and other urban centers, and rural areas contend with recurring violence and climate shocks.

For U.S. communities, employers who rely on TPS holders will face turnover as work permits expire. In past wind-downs, some businesses have lobbied for grace periods to be honored fully and for clear timelines to avoid disruptions. DHS’s explicit emphasis on voluntary departure incentives appears designed to encourage departures that are planned rather than forced, an approach that could reduce last‑minute detentions and the costs associated with removals. The promise of “potential pathways for future legal immigration to the United States” tied to voluntary exit is unusual and, without further details, difficult to assess. Advocates will be watching for clarity on whether that means prioritized consideration in future visa categories, humanitarian parole opportunities, or something else entirely.

The legal architecture of TPS means that Congress, not DHS, would be needed to create a permanent status for long‑term TPS holders. In the absence of legislative action, each country’s designation rises and falls on executive branch assessments of conditions abroad. South Sudan’s trajectory underlines how quickly those assessments can shift. From the 2011 designation through years of conflict, TPS provided a shield for a relatively small population in the United States. Now, with DHS termination set and the clock ticking toward January 2026, families are making difficult choices with limited information and little time.

Advocacy groups are likely to press the administration to revisit the decision in light of the U.N. warnings, or at least to ensure that humanitarian exemptions are available for people with compelling protection needs. For now, the official line is clear: the designation ended on November 3, 2025, a Federal Register notice this week starts a 60-day grace period, and anyone who remains after that window without another lawful status may face removal. DHS points to the CBP “CBP Home” mobile app as the recommended departure route, promising a complimentary plane ticket and a $1,000 exit bonus alongside the suggestion—still undefined—of possible future legal pathways for those who leave on time.

The gap between the policy and the reality in South Sudan will define the months ahead.

“With fears of a collapse of the 2018 Revitalized Peace Agreement and a return to widespread violence intensifying, I deeply worry for the plight of civilians in South Sudan,”

Turk said, a reminder that conditions on the ground can worsen faster than bureaucratic processes can adapt.

“All indicators point to a slide back toward another deadly war,”

Afako warned. As the DHS termination takes effect and the grace period unfolds, the human impact will be measured in flight bookings, packed homes, school withdrawals, and hard conversations around kitchen tables—in the United States and in South Sudan.

(Note: The Federal Register notice is expected to publish soon; readers should consult the official Federal Register for the formal notice when available.)