This article was prepared with the assistance of ABIL, the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers, of which Loan Huynh is an active member.
On November 5, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it has published a Federal Register notice terminating South Sudan’s designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), effective January 5, 2026.
The Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program noted that:
- Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) with a category of A12 or C19 and a Card Expires date of November 3, 2025; May 3, 2025; or November 3, 2023, issued under a prior TPS designation of South Sudan are now valid through January 5, 2026. TPS South Sudan applicants or beneficiaries presenting an EAD from a previous TPS South Sudan designation are not required to show any other document, such as a Form I-797 or Form I-797C, Notice of Action, approval or receipt notice, to establish the new EAD validity period.
- SAVE will verify if a person has TPS or a pending TPS application (and any updated employment authorization validity period) using information from any documents noted above. In some instances, the benefit-granting agency may need to institute additional verification.
- If a person’s TPS has expired and they have no other lawful status, SAVE will provide a “No Status” response.
- Benefit applicants whose TPS has been terminated may have another lawful basis to remain in the United States and may also be employment-authorized based on another immigration status or a pending application.
DHS said that South Sudanese nationals leaving the United States “should use the U.S. Customs and Border Protection CBP Home Mobile App to report their departure from the United States and take advantage of a safe, secure way to self-deport that includes a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus, and potential future opportunities for legal immigration.”
