Justice department extends protected status for Sudanese in U.S.

The U.S. Department of Justice has granted a 12-month extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Sudan who are in the United States. The extension, announced in a press release August 30, covers approximately 552 Sudanese individuals and will be in effect from November 2, 2002, until November 2, 2003.

The U.S. attorney general is authorized by law to grant TPS to aliens in the United States who are nationals of countries where armed conflict, natural disaster, or other extraordinary conditions have created a temporary situation to which return is either unsafe or unfeasible. In the case of Sudan, the attorney general determined that ongoing armed conflict might seriously threaten the personal safety of nationals returning to the country.