Four South Sudanese migrants, together with the advocacy group African Communities Together, have taken legal action against the Trump administration over its decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for more than 200 South Sudanese nationals living in the United States (US).
The lawsuit was filed on Monday in a federal court in Boston. It argues that the Department of Homeland Security’s decision unlawfully places South Sudanese migrants at risk of deportation, despite continued violence, instability and humanitarian hardship in South Sudan.
Court papers state that the move fails to take into account conditions on the ground in the world’s youngest nation, where conflict and displacement continue to affect large parts of the population. The plaintiffs also allege that the decision amounts to discrimination against non-white migrants, breaching the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution, which guarantees equal protection.
TPS allows people from countries facing armed conflict, natural disasters or other extraordinary circumstances to live and work legally in the US for a limited period. Rights groups warn that ending the designation could leave vulnerable individuals exposed to serious harm.
The Department of Homeland Security has yet to issue a public response to the lawsuit.
–ChannelAfica–
