More than 100K Ukrainians, Sudanese get reprieve as Homeland Security grants temporary deportation protection
Temporary stay for two groups
The department did not say how long the reprieve would last. It also did not answer whether recipients can keep their work permits, though Temporary Protected Status generally permits work while protections are active.
How temporary status works
Federal rules automatically extend TPS for six months if the secretary has not made a determination at least 60 days before a designation expires. Sudan’s program began in 1997 and has been extended by successive administrations because of armed conflict and political instability.
Debate over deportation protections
The Trump administration has previously sought to end TPS protections and return people to their countries of origin. It has terminated the status for more than 1 million people from 13 countries, including Venezuela, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Afghanistan and Syria.
Warnings about conditions at home
Greene’s organization has provided humanitarian assistance in Ukraine and Sudan. Greene said families were seeking stability while conditions in their countries remained unsettled. Vignarajah said Russia’s war was nearing its fifth year, with Ukrainians facing another winter of drone and missile strikes. He also cited Sudan’s civil war, famine and widespread human rights abuses, saying it was unsafe for families to return.
Key points
- More than 100,000 Ukrainians and Sudanese received a temporary reprieve from immediate deportation.
- The Department of Homeland Security gave no timetable for how long the reprieve will last.
- TPS can permit recipients to work but does not provide a path to permanent residency.
- Federal rules provide an automatic six-month extension when no determination is made at least 60 days before expiration.