**US Courts Clear Way for Deportations of South Sudanese and Myanmar Nationals**
*Published on August 8, 2026*
In a significant legal development, two federal judges have ruled in favor of the Trump administration's efforts to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals from South Sudan and Myanmar. This decision comes in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling that allowed the administration to end similar protections for individuals from Haiti and Syria.
The rulings were issued by US District Judge Patti Saris in Boston, Massachusetts, and Judge Matthew Kennelly in Chicago, Illinois, on Friday. Both judges dismissed appeals from immigrant-rights advocates who sought to maintain TPS for the affected populations. The TPS program is designed to shield individuals from deportation and grant them work authorization when their home countries are experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions.
The termination of TPS for South Sudan and Myanmar will impact approximately 232 South Sudanese nationals and around 4,000 individuals from Myanmar. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had initiated the process to end these protections in November 2025, citing ongoing conflict in South Sudan and political instability in Myanmar following a military coup in 2021.
The Supreme Court's earlier decision limited the ability of lower courts to intervene in DHS's actions regarding TPS, asserting that the executive branch has broad authority to make determinations about the program. Following this ruling, immigrant-rights lawyers filed new challenges, arguing that DHS lacked the authority to terminate TPS for these countries. However, Judge Saris rejected this argument, stating that it would undermine DHS's long-standing authority to both end and extend TPS protections. Judge Kennelly echoed this sentiment in his ruling concerning the Myanmar case.
Advocates for immigrant rights have expressed concern over the implications of these rulings. They warn that the decisions leave TPS recipients vulnerable to deportation to countries still experiencing significant turmoil and instability. Many recipients had been granted an "administrative stay" during the ongoing legal disputes, allowing them to live and work in the United States without the immediate threat of deportation.
James Percival, General Counsel of DHS, commented on the rulings, indicating that they pave the way for the termination of TPS for additional nationalities, with only the cases of Ethiopian and Somalian nationals currently blocked by the courts. Percival emphasized that the continuation of these "administrative stays" delays the fulfillment of the electorate's will, as expressed in previous elections.
As the situation evolves, the implications for South Sudanese and Myanmar nationals in the United States remain uncertain, with deportation looming as a possibility for those affected by the court's decisions. The ongoing legal battles surrounding TPS highlight the complexities of immigration policy and the challenges faced by individuals seeking refuge in the United States amid global crises.