September 5, 2023

Contact: media@haitianbridge.org

San Diego, California – The Haitian Bridge Alliance applauds the Biden-Harris Administration for its recent decision to extend and re-designate Temporary Protected Status for South Sudan for 18 months, from November 4, 2023, through May 3, 2025, due to ongoing armed conflict and extraordinary and temporary conditions that prevent individuals from safely returning home. This important step underscores the administration’s commitment to humanitarian values and the protection of vulnerable communities during times of crisis. 

Guerline Jozef, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, Co-Founder of the Black Immigrants Bail Fund and the Cameroon Advocacy Network issued the following statement: 

“We applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for its compassionate decision to extend and redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for South Sudan, which reflects their commitment to humanitarian values. We also take this opportunity to urge the administration to immediately designate and or re-designate for TPS protection Mali, Cameroon, Mauritania, and Afghanistan, acknowledging that crises affecting these nations demand the same urgent attention and compassion.”

South Sudan has endured a series of hardships, including armed conflict, political instability, and economic turmoil. The extension and re-designation of TPS is a lifeline for South Sudanese nationals and it grants them the ability to contribute positively to American society while providing a refuge from the perilous conditions back home.