The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) calls on you to contact the White House and call for the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Sudan, South Sudan Syria, Somalia, and Yemen. Already, over two dozen U.S. Senators including Senator Brown and Senator Merkley support TPS redesignation and extension for ten countries including Sudan, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen.
On July 18, 2017, ADC filed a petition with the Department of Homeland Security requesting the redesignation and extension of TPS for Sudans and South Sudan. Both Sudan and South Sudan, in accordance with the parameters of 8 U.S.C. §1254a(b)(1)(B)(i)-(ii), face dire humanitarian situations due to environmental disaster – famine and food insecurity, and mass violence. In 2016 alone, as many as 190,000 individuals were displaced by fighting in Darfur. Many still live in limbo and at risk of statelessness. This in addition to the 2.6 million people that remain displaced in the region from the early 2000’s. In February 2017, the Guardian reported that 100,000 people were facing immediate starvation while one million individuals were on the “brink of famine” throughout South Sudan. Due to ongoing conflict in both countries that threatens the safety of civilians throughout their respective states, neither country’s government can guarantee the safety of the return of their nationals at this time.
ADC Sudan and South Sudan Country Conditions Summary
Sudan was originally designated for TPS in November 1997. South Sudan has been TPS designated since September 2014.On November 2, 2017, TPS for Sudan and South Sudan was set to expire despite on-going conflict in both countries. On September 18, 2017, DHS extended TPS for Sudan nationals for 1 year with TPS for Sudan set to terminate November 2, 2018. Current TPS beneficiaries can register during the 60 day open period from October 11, 2017 to December 11, 2017.
TPS for Syrian nationals expires March 31, 2018. TPS expires for Yemeni nationals and Somali nationals in September 3, 2018, and September 17, 2018, respectively.
Violent conflict, intimidation of civilians, crumbling infrastructure and gross human rights violations continue to plague Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, Somalia, and Yemen. Civilians are routinely targeted by both government entities and opposition forces. A lack of successful investigations has allowed human rights violations to persist.
ADC Wants to Hear From You
Are you a national who is a Temporary Protection Status (TPS) beneficiary?
Do you have a story to tell? Submit your experience as a TPS beneficiary to ADC at policy@adc.org or online.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designates TPS to foreign countries in which conditions are unsafe for nationals to return or in conditions where a country is unequipped to support the return of its nationals. Conditions such as natural disasters and on-going conflict may warrant DHS to designate a foreign country for TPS.
TPS expiration dates often arrive before a country has stabilized after a natural disaster or before armed conflict in a country has ceased. Allowing the TPS designation to expire would mean sending TPS beneficiaries back to countries where their lives are in jeopardy.
Support TPS for Sudan and South Sudan
