Amid Ongoing Conflict, Warner, Kaine, Colleagues Urge Trump Administration to Extend Temporary Protected Status for Sudanese Nationals

WASHINGTON – U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine (both D-VA) led their colleagues in urging the Trump administration to extend and redesignate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Sudan as ongoing violence and a worsening humanitarian crisis continue to put citizens at grave risk. In a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the senators wrote, “After war erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), DHS extended and redesignated Sudan for TPS, citing ongoing armed conflict, widespread violence, severe humanitarian conditions, mass displacement, and serious human rights abuses. DHS again extended Sudan’s TPS designation in 2025 after determining that these conditions continued to prevent the safe return of Sudanese nationals.” TPS is a temporary, legal immigration status granted to foreign citizens in the U.S. who are endangered by conditions in their home country resulting from extraordinary events such as ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or epidemic. TPS status is granted for set periods ranging from six to 18 months, requiring the Department of Homeland Security to extend a country’s status on a recurring basis. Each time a country is recertified, recipients must reapply and pass a thorough background check. Sudan’s current TPS designation is set to expire October 19, 2026. An extension and redesignation would protect current Sudanese TPS holders from returning to the country amid its ongoing conflict and would offer protected status to Sudanese nationals who arrived in the United States after August 16, 2023. The senators highlighted the mounting crisis in Sudan, adding, “The armed conflict between the SAF and the RSF has intensified and expanded, causing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Fighting has spread across much of the country, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, the displacement of millions of people, widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, severe food insecurity, and credible reports of war crimes and other serious human rights violations. The U.S. government has determined that the RSF and SAF have committed war crimes and that the RSF is responsible for crimes against humanity and genocide. Secretary Rubio has further recognized the genocide in Sudan and joined G7 countries in warning against further atrocities in El Obeid in July 2026.” “Humanitarian access remains severely restricted, and large areas of Sudan continue to be unsafe for civilians, making the return of Sudanese nationals unsafe under current conditions. Sudan continues to face catastrophic humanitarian conditions – including the risk of famine in several areas – that have been compounded by climate shocks, widespread food insecurity, and the destruction of critical infrastructure. Since the outbreak of the war in April 2023, hospitals, schools, water systems, roads, and electrical infrastructure have been damaged or destroyed, severely limiting access to basic services and humanitarian assistance,” the senators continued. The senators also noted that the Trump administration has already acknowledged the dangers posed by the war and humanitarian crisis in Sudan. The State Department maintains a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory for the entire country, citing risks including armed conflict, civil unrest, and terrorism. Furthermore, the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum has suspended operations since April 2023, leaving the U.S. government unable to provide routine or emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Sudan. In addition to Sens. Warner and Kaine, the letter was signed by Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA). Since the conflict erupted, Sens. Warner and Kaine have been outspoken voices in the Senate on the need for increased diplomatic and humanitarian support for Sudan. In June 2025, the senators sponsored the Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and Emergency (SECURE) Act , legislation to provide qualified TPS and Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) recipients a path to legal permanent residency. In January 2025, Sens. Warner and Kaine urged then-President Biden to extend or redesignate TPS for all 17 TPS-eligible countries, including Sudan. The senators have fought to strengthen the U.S. response to the Sudan crisis, introducing the Response to Conflict in Sudan Act to bolster and coordinate the U.S. response to the war in Sudan by codifying the Special Envoy for Sudan position at the U.S. Department of State. In December 2024, Sen. Warner urged the Biden administration to take more decisive action against foreign entities fueling the ongoing civil war in Sudan. In May 2023, Sens. Warner and Kaine led a group of colleagues in urging the administration to offer all available support for humanitarian efforts in the region – and to be forward-leaning on prioritizing local and community-based response efforts – as well as appoint a Special Envoy to Sudan tasked with coordinating and leading U.S. diplomatic efforts to address the crisis. That same year, the senators also successfully called on the Biden administration to redesignate TPS for Sudan. Read the full letter here and below. Dear Secretary Mullin and Secretary Rubio: We write to urge you to issue an 18-month extension and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Sudan. The ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Sudan continue to place its citizens at severe risk. An extension would protect current Sudanese TPS holders from returning to Sudan amid ongoing violence, and a redesignation would offer protected status to Sudanese nationals who arrived after August 16, 2023. After war erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), DHS extended and redesignated Sudan for TPS, citing ongoing armed conflict, widespread violence, severe humanitarian conditions, mass displacement, and serious human rights abuses. DHS again extended Sudan’s TPS designation in 2025 after determining that these conditions continued to prevent the safe return of Sudanese nationals. The armed conflict between the SAF and the RSF has intensified and expanded, causing one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Fighting has spread across much of the country, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths, the displacement of millions of people, widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure, severe food insecurity, and credible reports of war crimes and other serious human rights violations. The U.S. government has determined that the RSF and SAF have committed war crimes and that the RSF is responsible for crimes against humanity and genocide. Secretary Rubio has further recognized the genocide in Sudan and joined G7 countries in warning against further atrocities in El Obeid in July 2026. Humanitarian access remains severely restricted, and large areas of Sudan continue to be unsafe for civilians, making the return of Sudanese nationals unsafe under current conditions. Sudan continues to face catastrophic humanitarian conditions – including the risk of famine in several areas – that have been compounded by climate shocks, widespread food insecurity, and the destruction of critical infrastructure. Since the outbreak of the war in April 2023, hospitals, schools, water systems, roads, and electrical infrastructure have been damaged or destroyed, severely limiting access to basic services and humanitarian assistance. More than 30 million people – two-thirds of Sudan’s population – are in need of humanitarian assistance, including 15 million children. More than 8 million people are internally displaced, making Sudan the world’s largest internal displacement crisis. Millions more have fled to neighboring countries as refugees. Humanitarian organizations continue to warn that funding shortfalls, ongoing insecurity, and restrictions on aid delivery are preventing life-saving assistance from reaching millions of people in need. These overlapping crises – ongoing armed conflict, mass displacement, widespread hunger, disease outbreaks, climate-related disasters, and the collapse of essential services – have significantly worsened since Sudan’s most recent TPS designation and continue to make the safe return of Sudanese nationals impossible. The posture of the State Department demonstrates the dangers of the war in Sudan. The U.S. Department of State currently maintains a Level 4: Do Not Travel advisory for all of Sudan, warning U.S. citizens not to travel to the country due to ongoing armed conflict, civil unrest, crime, kidnapping, terrorism, landmines, and serious health and security risks. The State Department also notes that the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum has suspended operations since April 2023 and that the U.S. government cannot provide routine or emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in Sudan. These conditions underscore the continued instability throughout the country and further demonstrate that Sudan remains unsafe for the return of Sudanese nationals. At the beginning of this administration, approximately 1.2 million foreign nationals were protected under TPS, including 1,790 individuals from Sudan. These individuals make significant contributions to the U.S. economy and the communities they call home. They are taxpayers, consumers, entrepreneurs, and essential members of the workforce. According to the American Immigration Council, TPS holders collectively generated more than $10.3 billion in household income, held nearly $8 billion in spending power, and contributed over $2.2 billion in federal, state, and local taxes in 2021 alone. Beyond these measurable economic contributions, TPS holders strengthen local economies by purchasing homes, renting apartments, starting businesses, and filling critical labor shortages across a range of industries. Although Sudanese TPS beneficiaries represent only a portion of the overall TPS population, they likewise contribute to the U.S. workforce and economy while lawfully employed under TPS. In light of these circumstances, we strongly urge you to extend and redesignate Sudan for TPS. The ongoing armed conflict, catastrophic humanitarian crisis, and widespread human rights abuses make the safe return of Sudanese nationals impossible at this time, meeting the legal standard for extension and redesignation of TPS under Sec. 244 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. TPS for Sudanese nationals in the United States remains both a humanitarian necessity and a prudent policy to ensure that individuals are not forced to return to conditions that continue to threaten their safety and well-being. We thank you for your consideration of this request. ### * High-quality photographs of Sen. Mark R. 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