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Sudan Tribune

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US to grant citizens of South Sudan protected status for first time

September 4, 2011 (WASHINGTON) – The Obama administration has decided to add the Republic of South Sudan to the list of countries included under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, Sudan Tribune has learned.

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano (R) speaks with U.S. President Barack Obama on the aftermath of Hurricane Irene from the Rose Garden of the White House August 28, 2011 in Washington, DC (AFP)
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano (R) speaks with U.S. President Barack Obama on the aftermath of Hurricane Irene from the Rose Garden of the White House August 28, 2011 in Washington, DC (AFP)
The move comes as South Sudan gained its independence last July and the United States swiftly recognised it. Southern Sudanese voted almost unanimously in favour of secession from the North earlier this year.

Sudan was initially designated for TPS in 1997 and Washington kept extending it throughout the years. The current designation expires next November. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expected to announce extension of TPS for Sudan as well.

All citizens of South Sudan who entered the US on or before the TPS designation is officially published will qualify regardless of their visa status. However, only Sudanese citizens who entered the country on or before October 7, 2004 will be covered by TPS extension.

TPS is a temporary immigration status granted to nationals of designated countries as part of the US Immigration Act of 1990.

The US Congress established a procedure by which the Attorney General may provide TPS to aliens in the United States who are temporarily unable to safely return to their home country because of ongoing armed conflict, the temporary effects of an environmental disaster, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions.

During the period for which a country has been designated under the TPS program, the registrants are allowed to remain in the United States and obtain work authorisation and may not be deported unless they commit certain crimes.

However TPS does not lead to permanent residence in the US which is better known as the ‘green card’. Several bills in the US Congress to grant permanent residence to some TPS beneficiaries have stalled.

Currently nationals of Burundi, Haiti, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Somalia are also covered by the program.

(ST)

2 Comments

  • Land-of-Cush
    Land-of-Cush

    US to grant citizens of South Sudan protected status for first time
    South Sudanese who live and did any crimes in USA on or before TPS will be eligible to get deportation back home; because there is no, ongoing war in the south but this deportation will be entirely against south Sudanese over the world no matter you live in Australia, European country etc. because western world always have the same policy not only USA. So you want to bear in mind!!!

    Reply
  • Matung Neng-neng
    Matung Neng-neng

    US to grant citizens of South Sudan protected status for first time
    When I read this article I ask myself what is this mean? Well, It ‘s simply mean Obama was elected under condition only to be use against black Sudanese, now, the problem is White’s house cannot make decision whether they want to keep president Obama on presidency position, or quit dream to use Sudanese lives as laboratory animals business while time exccess period they expected. It was ressettlement agreement under UN and world migration organization for Sudanese to come to North American, ok. USA alone cannot make short cut to depot Sudanese, if USA decided to break the resttlement agreement, USA government should let the UN take our responsibility back again because when we Sudanese come to North American to work, we were collected from refuggee camps because we have nothing to live on. This decision is immature, we have been working hard and pay taxes, we expect the White’s house to make right decision not wrong one. Thank you!

    Reply
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