Sudan is the only African country whose citizens currently have Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States, which means that Sudanese nationals living in the country cannot experience deportation and are allowed to work while their status is valid.
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed that Sudan’s TPS designation will be valid until October 19, 2026, following an extension announced in the Federal Register on January 17, 2025.
The agency also issued an alert stating that a further announcement on Sudan’s TPS would be made “at the appropriate time,” and that until then, Sudanese individuals in the US under TPS retain both protection and work authorization.
US: What does Sudan’s TPS cover?
Sudan received its first TPS designation on April 19, 2022. The current designation, which went into effect on October 20, 2023, requires that covered individuals have lived continuously in the United States since August 16, 2023, and have been physically present since October 20, 2023.
According to the January 2025 Federal Register notice, eligible Sudanese nationals’ employment authorization documents were automatically extended through April 19, 2026.
The most recent cycle’s re-registration window was from January 17 to March 18, 2025.
Why does Sudan hold Temporal Deportation Protection Status?
TPS is a humanitarian protection program provided by the United States to nationals of countries experiencing ongoing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary conditions that make it unsafe for their citizens to return.
Sudan is classified under this framework, with the country’s ongoing civil war, which erupted dramatically in April 2023, cited as the primary reason for its designation.
Sudan is the only African country on the list in 2026, as no other African country currently has an active TPS designation from the United States.
US Reduces Number of Nigerians Set for Deportation to 112
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has reduced the number of Nigerians it plans to deport and published a list of 112 people, including images, on its official website.
On the other hand, the DHS has also released the names and photographs of 112 Nigerians who are about to be deported from the country.
