Refugee Congress Applauds TPS Designation for Sudanese and South Sudanese Nationals
Refugee Congress Applauds TPS Designation for Sudanese and South Sudanese Nationals
For Immediate Release: March 3, 2022
WASHINGTON–Refugee Congress applauds the announcement by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of a new designation of Sudan and an extension and redesignation of South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months.
Conditions in Sudan and South Sudan prevent individuals from safely returning home to these countries. Sudan has been overwhelmed by increasing political instability, violence, and human rights abuses against civilians, as well as humanitarian crises related to flooding, and food and clean water shortages. South Sudan continues to experience violence, armed clashes, and mass displacement of civilians, as well as unprecedented flooding and food shortages. These conditions prevent individuals from returning safely to Sudan or South Sudan.
"The actions of Secretary Mayorkas to designate TPS for Sudan and extend TPS for Southern Sudanese, which provides temporary protection to people in the United States until the situation improves, were extraordinarily commendable,” said Khamisa Abdalla, Refugee Congress Delegate for Nebraska. “I lived my whole life in Southern Sudan's civil strife, where I witnessed the horrific civil war. I was a child, but I still recall hearing bombs. Today, the Sudanese people are still trapped in the hell of civil war and tribal strife. It is the right of the Sudanese to have the world stand with them in this time of human tragedy.”
As an organization built and led by former refugees and asylees, we know firsthand the devastating consequences of violence and persecution and the importance of supporting those who are displaced due to these conditions.
“I think the Department of Homeland Security's decision to extend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Sudan and South Sudan, thereby extending the program's coverage to more Sudanese people, is ethically indisputable. The two countries currently share an identical social and political environment that creates a sense of insecurity for their people. This decision represents a tremendous step forward in allowing citizens of both countries to take advantage of this potentially life-saving opportunity,” said Adam Sadda, Refugee Congress Delegate for North Carolina.
Refugees, asylees and immigrants from Sudan sent a letter to the Biden Administration last month, expressing concern about the violence, rape, arrests and torture that have devastated the lives of innocent civilians in Sudan.
Refugee Congress calls on DHS to designate TPS for other majority Black nations and countries where civilians face extreme danger if they return, including Cameroon, Mauritania, and Ethiopia.
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Refugee Congress is a nonpartisan advocacy organization built and led by former refugees, asylum-seekers and other vulnerable migrants to promote the well-being, integration and dignity of all vulnerable migrants. With delegates across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, we use our voices and experiences to inform and influence decision-makers on critical domestic and international issues that affect our communities.
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