US Judge Blocks Trump Effort To Deport South Sudanese, Because Some Human Suffering Cannot Be Ignored
The Trump administration, per Al Jazeera, argued South Sudan no longer posed a danger to its returning citizens, attempting to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Apparently, the ongoing civil conflict, widespread human rights abuses documented by the UN, and a humanitarian crisis affecting millions (UNOCHA, 2023) simply weren't 'dangerous enough.' One might wonder if the US Embassy in South
Sudan has better Wi-Fi than its own State Department reports. While recognizing the continued danger in South Sudan is a step away from outright cruelty, it's difficult not to compare this assessment to other situations. When an international body like the International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant for a sitting head of state for war crimes in Gaza—a place the US government continues to
supply with billions in weaponry and where over 37,000 Palestinians have been killed (Gaza Ministry of Health, May 2024)—suddenly, direct observation of danger becomes 'complex' or 'unverified.' It seems 'safety' is a highly subjective metric, particularly when it might inconvenience political allies or arms manufacturers.