The United States has announced the termination of South Sudan’s Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a program that has allowed South Sudanese nationals to legally reside in the U.S. and escape ongoing armed conflict in their homeland. The decision, effective January 5, was confirmed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a recent statement. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem concluded that South Sudan no longer meets the statutory requirements for TPS after consultations with interagency partners. South Sudanese nationals who voluntarily depart the U.S. using the Customs and Border Protection mobile app may receive a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus, and potential future legal immigration opportunities. This policy shift is a significant setback for South Sudanese refugees, as the country remains politically unstable and continues to produce a large number of displaced individuals seeking safety abroad. Edmund Yakani, a prominent South Sudanese civic leader, suggested that the decision reflects deteriorating U.S.-South Sudan relations, particularly regarding the deportation of foreign nationals. South Sudan has resisted accepting a second phase of U.S. deportees, which reportedly angered the Trump administration. The TPS designation, initially granted in 2011 following South Sudan’s independence from Sudan, has been renewed in 18-month increments. However, the Trump administration has consistently sought to withdraw protections for immigrants, including ending TPS for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans and Haitians. South Sudan’s government, already struggling to provide basic services, faces additional challenges due to U.S. cuts in foreign aid. The country’s fragile peace deal, signed in 2018 to end conflict between President Salva Kiir and former deputy Riek Machar, is under strain following Machar’s arrest on criminal charges earlier this year.