Judge temporarily stops DHS from ending deportation protections for South Sudanese
Source: The Hill
12/30/25 10:29 AM ET
A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ending deportation protections for roughly 200 South Sudanese nationals until the next stage of a legal challenge. U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley’s order does not reflect the underlying legal merits. It is intended to ensure the migrants can remain in the country until the judge considers the case more fully.
“Because of the serious consequences at stake, both for the Plaintiffs and the Defendants, the Court finds an administrative stay appropriate, as it would ‘minimize harm,’ while allowing the assigned District Court Judge the time this case deserves,” Kelley wrote in her four-page ruling. The judge will issue a new decision after receiving written briefing through Jan. 13.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) allows migrants to stay in the U.S. and receive work authorization when they are from a country experiencing armed conflict, environmental disaster or other extraordinary conditions.
South Sudan was first designated for the program in 2011 as it gained its independence and became Africa’s youngest country. It has been plagued with war, and a State Department advisory urges Americans to avoid travel to the country. Roughly 232 South Sudanese are currently TPS recipients, court filings indicate.
Read more: https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5666518-trump-administration-temporary-protective-status-south-sudanese/
Link to ORDER (PDF) - https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mad.293664/gov.uscourts.mad.293664.37.0_1.pdf
REFERENCES
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143559987
https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143587404