12190 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2022 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND 

SECURITY 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services 

[CIS No. 2712–22; DHS Docket No. USCIS– 

2014–004] 

RIN 1615–ZB79 

Extension and Redesignation of South 

Sudan for Temporary Protected Status 

AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and 

Immigration Services (USCIS), 

Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS). 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: Through this notice, the 

Department of Homeland Security 

(DHS) announces that the Secretary of 

Homeland Security (Secretary) is 

extending the designation of South 

Sudan for Temporary Protected Status 

(TPS) for 18 months, from May 3, 2022, 

through November 3, 2023, and 

redesignating South Sudan for 18 

months, effective May 3, 2022, through 

November 3, 2023. The extension allows 

currently eligible TPS beneficiaries to 

retain TPS through November 3, 2023, 

so long as they otherwise continue to 

meet the eligibility requirements for 

TPS. The redesignation of South Sudan 

allows additional individuals who have 

been continuously residing in the 

United States since March 1, 2022, to 

obtain TPS, if otherwise eligible. 

DATES: Extension of Designation of 

South Sudan for TPS: The 18-month 

extension of the TPS designation of 

South Sudan is effective May 3, 2022, 

and will remain in effect through 

November 3, 2023. The 60-day reregistration period for existing 

beneficiaries runs from March 3, 2022, 

through May 2, 2022. (Note: It is 

important for re-registrants to timely reregister during this 60-day period and 

not to wait until their Employment 

Authorization Documents (EADs) 

expire, which could result in their 

having gaps in their employment 

authorization documentation.) 

Redesignation of South Sudan for 

TPS: The 18-month redesignation of 

South Sudan for TPS is effective May 3, 

2022, and will remain in effect through 

November 3, 2023. The initial 

registration period for new applicants 

under the South Sudan TPS 

redesignation begins on March 3, 2022, 

and will remain in effect through 

November 3, 2023. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

• You may contact Rena ́ CutlipMason, Chief, Humanitarian Affairs 

Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, 

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services, U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security, by mail at 5900 Capital 

Gateway Drive, Camp Springs, MD 

20746, or by phone at 800–375–5283. 

• For further information on TPS, 

including guidance on the registration 

and re-registration process and 

additional information on eligibility, 

please visit the USCIS TPS web page at 

https://www.uscis.gov/tps. You can find 

specific information about this 

extension of South Sudan’s TPS 

designation by selecting ‘‘South Sudan’’ 

from the menu on the left side of the 

TPS web page. 

• If you have additional questions 

about TPS, please visit uscis.gov/tools. 

Our online virtual assistant, Emma, can 

answer many of your questions and 

point you to additional information on 

our website. If you are unable to find 

your answers there, you may also call 

our USCIS Contact Center at 800–375– 

5283 (TTY 800–767–1833). 

• Applicants seeking information 

about the status of their individual cases 

may check Case Status Online, available 

on the USCIS website at https://

www.uscis.gov, or visit the USCIS 

Contact Center at uscis.gov/ 

contactcenter. 

• Further information will also be 

available at local USCIS offices upon 

publication of this notice. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Table of Abbreviations 

BIA—Board of Immigration Appeals 

CFR—Code of Federal Regulations 

DHS—U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security 

DOS—U.S. Department of State 

EAD—Employment Authorization Document 

FNC—Final Nonconfirmation 

Form I–765—Application for Employment 

Authorization 

Form I–797—Notice of Action 

Form I–821—Application for Temporary 

Protected Status 

Form I–9—Employment Eligibility 

Verification 

Form I–912—Request for Fee Waiver 

Form I–94—Arrival/Departure Record 

FR—Federal Register 

Government—U.S. Government 

IER—U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights 

Division, Immigrant and Employee Rights 

Section 

IJ—Immigration Judge 

INA—Immigration and Nationality Act 

SAVE—USCIS Systematic Alien Verification 

for Entitlements Program 

Secretary—Secretary of Homeland Security 

TNC—Tentative Nonconfirmation 

TPS—Temporary Protected Status 

TTY—Text Telephone 

USCIS—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration 

Services 

U.S.C.—United States Code 

Through this notice, DHS sets forth 

procedures necessary for eligible 

nationals of South Sudan (or 

individuals having no nationality who 

last habitually resided in South Sudan) 

to (1) re-register for TPS and to apply for 

renewal of their EADs with USCIS or (2) 

submit an initial registration application 

under the redesignation and apply for 

an EAD. 

Re-registration is limited to 

individuals who have previously 

registered for TPS under a prior 

designation of South Sudan and whose 

applications have been granted. Failure 

to re-register properly may result in the 

withdrawal of your TPS following 

appropriate procedures. See 8 CFR 

244.14. 

For individuals who have already 

been granted TPS under South Sudan’s 

designation, the 60-day re-registration 

period runs from March 3, 2022, 

through May 2, 2022. USCIS will issue 

new EADs with a November 3, 2023, 

expiration date to eligible South 

Sudanese TPS beneficiaries who timely 

re-register and apply for EADs. Given 

the time frames involved with 

processing TPS re-registration 

applications, DHS recognizes that not 

all re-registrants may receive new EADs 

before their current EADs expire on May 

2, 2022. Accordingly, through this 

Federal Register notice, DHS 

automatically extends the validity of 

EADs previously issued under the TPS 

designation of South Sudan for 180 

days, through November 1, 2022. 

Therefore, TPS beneficiaries can show 

their EADs with: (1) A May 2, 2022, 

expiration date on the face of the card 

and (2) an A–12 or C–19 category code 

as proof of continued employment 

authorization through November 1, 

2022. This notice explains how TPS 

beneficiaries and their employers may 

determine which EADs are 

automatically extended and how this 

affects the Form I–9, Employment 

Eligibility Verification, E-Verify, and 

USCIS Systematic Alien Verification for 

Entitlements (SAVE) processes. 

Individuals who have a South Sudan 

TPS application (Form I–821) and/or 

Application for Employment 

Authorization (Form I–765) that was 

still pending as of March 3, 2022, do not 

need to file either application again. If 

USCIS approves an individual’s Form I– 

821, USCIS will grant the individual 

TPS through November 3, 2023. 

Similarly, if USCIS approves a pending 

TPS-related Form I–765, USCIS will 

issue the individual a new EAD that 

will be valid through the same date. 

There are currently approximately 97 

beneficiaries under South Sudan’s TPS 

designation. 

Under the redesignation, individuals 

who currently do not have TPS may 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2022 / Notices 12191 

1 In general, individuals must be given an initial 

registration period of no less than 180 days to 

register for TPS, but the Secretary has discretion to 

provide for a longer registration period. See 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(c)(1)(A)(iv). Historically, the length of the 

initial registration period has varied. Compare 66 

FR 14214 (March 9, 2001) (18 months initial 

registration period for applicants under TPS 

designation for El Salvador) with 80 FR 36346 (June 

24, 2015) (180-day initial registration period for 

applicants under TPS designation for Nepal). In 

recent years, this period has generally been limited 

to the statutory minimum of 180 days, although 

later extensions of the initial registration period 

have also been announced for some countries. See, 

e.g., 81 FR 4051 (Jan. 25, 2016) (setting 180-day 

initial registration period during extension and 

redesignation of South Sudan for TPS); 78 FR 1866 

(Jan. 9, 2013) (setting 180-day initial registration 

period during extension and redesignation of Sudan 

for TPS); 75 FR 39957 (July 13, 2010) (extension of 

previously announced initial 180-day registration 

period for Haiti TPS applicants to allow more time 

for individuals to apply). After evaluating whether 

to limit the initial registration period for TPS under 

this new designation of South Sudan to the 

statutory minimum of 180 days, DHS has 

determined that it will provide the full 18 months 

of this designation for applicants to file their initial 

registration Form I–821 and, if desired, Form I–765 

to obtain employment authorization 

documentation. Limiting the initial registration 

period to 180 days may place a burden on 

applicants who may be otherwise eligible for TPS. 

In addition, permitting registration throughout the 

entirety of the designation period could reduce the 

operational burden on USCIS, as incoming 

applications may be spread out over a longer period 

of time. This extended registration period is both 

in keeping with the humanitarian purpose of TPS 

and will better advance the goal of ensuring ‘‘the 

Federal Government eliminates sources of fear and 

other barriers that prevent immigrants from 

accessing government services available to them.’’ 

See Executive Order 14012, Restoring Faith in Our 

Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening 

Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New 

Americans, 86 FR 8277 (Feb. 5, 2021). 

2As of March 1, 2003, in accordance with section 

1517 of title XV of the Homeland Security Act of 

2002, Public Law 107–296, 116 Stat. 2135, any 

reference to the Attorney General in a provision of 

the INA describing functions transferred from the 

Department of Justice to DHS ‘‘shall be deemed to 

refer to the Secretary’’ of Homeland Security. See 

6 U.S.C. 557 (codifying the Homeland Security Act 

of 2002, tit. XV, section 1517). 

3See INA, section 244(b)(5)(A). This issue of 

judicial review is the subject of litigation. See, e.g., 

Ramos v. Wolf, 975 F.3d 872 (9th Cir. 2020), 

petition for en banc rehearing filed Nov. 30, 2020 

(No. 18–16981); Saget v. Trump, 375 F. Supp. 3d 

280 (E.D.N.Y. 2019). 

submit an initial application during the 

initial registration period that runs from 

March 3, 2022, and runs through the full 

length of the redesignation period 

ending November 3, 2023.1 In addition 

to demonstrating continuous residence 

in the United States since March 1, 2022 

and meeting other eligibility criteria, 

initial applicants for TPS under this 

redesignation must demonstrate that 

they have been continuously physically 

present in the United States since March 

3, 2022, the effective date of this 

redesignation of South Sudan, before 

USCIS may grant them TPS. The DHS 

Office of Immigration Statistics has 

estimated that approximately 235 

individuals may become newly eligible 

for TPS under the redesignation of 

South Sudan. 

What is temporary protected status 

(TPS)? 

• TPS is a temporary immigration 

status granted to eligible nationals of a 

country designated for TPS under the 

INA, or to eligible individuals without 

nationality who last habitually resided 

in the designated country. 

• During the TPS designation period, 

TPS beneficiaries are eligible to remain 

in the United States, may not be 

removed, and are authorized to obtain 

EADs so long as they continue to meet 

the requirements of TPS. 

• TPS beneficiaries may also apply 

for and be granted travel authorization 

as a matter of discretion. Upon return 

from such authorized travel, TPS 

beneficiaries retain the same 

immigration status they had prior to the 

travel. 

• To qualify for TPS, beneficiaries 

must meet the eligibility standards at 

INA section 244(c)(1)–(2), 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(c)(1)–(2). 

• When the Secretary terminates a 

country’s TPS designation, beneficiaries 

return to one of the following: 

Æ The same immigration status or 

category that they maintained before 

TPS, if any (unless that status or 

category has since expired or been 

terminated); or 

Æ Any other lawfully obtained 

immigration status or category they 

received while registered for TPS, as 

long as it is still valid beyond the date 

TPS terminates. 

When was South Sudan designated for 

TPS? 

South Sudan was initially designated 

on October 13, 2011, on the dual bases 

of ongoing armed conflict and 

extraordinary and temporary conditions 

in South Sudan that prevented nationals 

of South Sudan from safely returning. 

See Designation of Republic of South 

Sudan for Temporary Protected Status, 

76 FR 63629 (Oct. 13, 2011). Following 

the initial designation, the Secretary 

extended and redesignated South Sudan 

for TPS in 2013, 2014, and 2016. See 

Extension and Redesignation of South 

Sudan for Temporary Protected Status, 

78 FR 1866 (Jan. 9, 2013); Extension and 

Redesignation of South Sudan for 

Temporary Protected Status, 79 FR 

52019 (Sept. 2, 2014); Extension and 

Redesignation of South Sudan for 

Temporary Protected Status, 81 FR 4051 

(Jan. 25, 2016). In 2017 and 2019, DHS 

extended TPS for South Sudan, based 

on ongoing armed conflict and 

extraordinary and temporary conditions. 

See Extension of South Sudan for 

Temporary Protected Status, 82 FR 

44205 (Sept. 21, 2017); Extension of the 

Designation of South Sudan for 

Temporary Protected Status, 84 FR 

13688 (Apr. 5, 2019). Most recently, in 

2020, DHS extended South Sudan’s TPS 

designation for 18 months, based on 

ongoing armed conflict and 

extraordinary and temporary conditions. 

See Extension of the Designation of 

South Sudan for Temporary Protected 

Status, 85 FR 69344 (Nov. 2, 2020). 

What authority does the Secretary have 

to extend the designation of South 

Sudan for TPS? 

Section 244(b)(1) of the INA, 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(1), authorizes the Secretary, 

after consultation with appropriate 

agencies of the U.S. Government 

(Government), to designate a foreign 

state (or part thereof) for TPS if the 

Secretary determines that certain 

country conditions exist.2 The decision 

to designate any foreign state (or part 

thereof) is a discretionary decision, and 

the TPS statute states that there is no 

judicial review of any determination 

with respect to the designation, 

extension, or termination of a 

designation.3 The Secretary, in their 

discretion, may then grant TPS to 

eligible nationals of that foreign state (or 

individuals having no nationality who 

last habitually resided in the designated 

country). See INA section 244(a)(1)(A), 

8 U.S.C. 1254a(a)(1)(A). 

At least 60 days before the expiration 

of a country’s TPS designation or 

extension, the Secretary, after 

consultation with appropriate 

Government agencies, must review the 

conditions in the foreign state 

designated for TPS to determine 

whether the conditions for the TPS 

designation continue to be met. See INA 

section 244(b)(3)(A), 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(3)(A). If the Secretary does not 

determine that the foreign state no 

longer meets the conditions for TPS 

designation, the designation will be 

extended for an additional period of 6 

months or, in the Secretary’s discretion, 

12 or 18 months. See INA section 

244(b)(3)(A), (C), 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(3)(A), (C). If the Secretary 

determines that the foreign state no 

longer meets the conditions for TPS 

designation, the Secretary must 

terminate the designation. See INA 

section 244(b)(3)(B), 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(3)(B). 


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12192 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2022 / Notices 

4The extension and redesignation of TPS for 

South Sudan is one of several instances in which 

the Secretary and, prior to the establishment of 

DHS, the Attorney General, have simultaneously 

extended a country’s TPS designation and 

redesignated the country for TPS. See, e.g., 76 FR 

29000 (May 19, 2011) (extension and redesignation 

for Haiti); 69 FR 60168 (Oct. 7, 2004) (extension and 

redesignation for Sudan); 62 FR 16608 (Apr. 7, 

1997) (extension and redesignation for Liberia). 

5The Revitalized Agreement on the Resolution of 

the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan (R– 

ARCSS) was signed on September 12, 2018 by 

President Kiir, current First Vice President Riek 

Machar Teny, and other representatives of certain 

opposition groups. A prior peace agreement was 

signed in 2015 and a unity government was formed; 

however, fighting ensued between the parties in 

July 2016 and Machar left South Sudan shortly 

thereafter. The R–ARCSS addresses various 

political, security, and transitional justice issues, 

including the establishment of a unity government. 

However, not all of South Sudan’s opposition 

leaders signed the agreement, including a key 

opposition group, the National Salvation Front 

(NAS). South Sudan Security Situation, EASO, 

April 24, 2020, pg. 3, available at: https://

www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2028851/2020_04_Q8_

COI_South_Sudan_Security_Situation.pdf. 

6Panel of Experts on South Sudan, United 

Nations (UN) Security Council, April 15, 2021, pg. 

2, available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/southsudan/final-report-panel-experts-south-sudansubmitted-pursuant-resolution-2521-2020. 

7Panel of Experts on South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, April 15, 2021, pg. 2, available at: https:// 

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/final-report-panelexperts-south-sudan-submitted-pursuantresolution-2521-2020. 8Previously united under one umbrella group— 

the South Sudan Opposition Movements Alliance— 

non-signatories of the R–ARCSS have divided into 

two factions, one led by General Thomas Cirillo 

Swaka, the leader of the National Salvation Front 

(‘‘NAS’’), and another led by General Pagan Amum 

and General Paul Malong Awan Anei. Panel of 

Experts on South Sudan, UN Security Council, 

April 15 2021, pg. 9, available at: https://

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/final-report-panelexperts-south-sudan-submitted-pursuantresolution-2521-2020. 

9Panel of Experts on South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, April 15, 2021, pg. 9, available at: https:// 

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/final-report-panelexperts-south-sudan-submitted-pursuantresolution-2521-2020. 10See id. 

11SURFACE TENSION: ‘COMMUNAL’ 

VIOLENCE AND ELITE AMBITIONS IN SOUTH 

SUDAN, ACLED, August 19, 2021, available at: 

https://acleddata.com/2021/08/19/surface-tensioncommunal-violence-and-elite-ambitions-in-southsudan/. 

12See id. 

13Panel of Experts on South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, April 15, 2021, pg. 15, available at: https:// 

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/final-report-panelexperts-south-sudan-submitted-pursuantresolution-2521-2020. 

14The opposition group NAS is led by General 

Thomas Cirillo Swaka, and has maintained a 

significant security presence and support in Central 

Equatoria. NAS is not a signatory to the R–ARCSS, 

maintaining that the root causes of the conflict in 

South Sudan have not been addressed in the peace 

agreement. See Final report of the Panel of Experts 

on South Sudan, UN Security Council, April 28, 

2020, pg. 16, available at: https://reliefweb.int/ 

report/south-sudan/final-report-panel-expertssouth-sudan-submitted-pursuant-resolution-2521- 

2020. 

15 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights 

Practices: South Sudan, U.S. Department of State, 

March 31, 2021, section 1, available at: https://

www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-onhuman-rights-practices/south-sudan/. 

16Report of the Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan, UN Human Rights Council, February 

What is the Secretary’s authority to 

redesignate South Sudan for TPS? 

In addition to extending an existing 

TPS designation, the Secretary, after 

consultation with appropriate 

Government agencies, may redesignate a 

country (or part thereof) for TPS. See 

section 244(b)(1) of the Act, 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(1); see also section 

244(c)(1)(A)(i) of the Act, 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(c)(1)(A)(i) (requiring that ‘‘the 

alien has been continuously physically 

present since the effective date of the 

most recent designation of the state’’) 

(emphasis added).4

When the Secretary designates or 

redesignates a country for TPS, the 

Secretary also has the discretion to 

establish the date from which TPS 

applicants must demonstrate that they 

have been ‘‘continuously resid[ing]’’ in 

the United States. See section 

244(c)(1)(A)(ii) of the Act, 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(c)(1)(A)(ii). The Secretary has 

determined that the ‘‘continuous 

residence’’ date for applicants for TPS 

under the redesignation of South Sudan 

shall be March 1, 2022. Initial 

applicants for TPS under this 

redesignation must also show they have 

been ‘‘continuously physically present’’ 

in the United States since March 3, 

2022, which is the effective date of the 

Secretary’s redesignation, of South 

Sudan. See section 244(c)(1)(A)(i) of the 

Act, 8 U.S.C. 1254a(c)(1)(A)(i). For each 

initial TPS application filed under the 

redesignation, the final determination of 

whether the applicant has met the 

‘‘continuous physical presence’’ 

requirement cannot be made until 

March 3, 2022. USCIS, however, will 

issue employment authorization 

documentation, as appropriate, during 

the registration period in accordance 

with 8 CFR 244.5(b). 

Why is the Secretary extending the TPS 

designation for South Sudan and 

simultaneously redesignating South 

Sudan for TPS through November 3, 

2023? 

DHS has reviewed country conditions 

in South Sudan. Based on the review, 

including consultation with the 

Department of State (DOS), the 

Secretary has determined that an 18- 

month extension is warranted because 

the ongoing armed conflict and 

extraordinary and temporary conditions 

supporting South Sudan’s TPS 

designation persist. The Secretary has 

further determined that the conditions 

support redesignating South Sudan for 

TPS under section 244(b)(1)(A) and (C) 

of the Act and is changing the 

‘‘continuous residence’’ and 

‘‘continuous physical presence’’ dates 

that applicants must meet to be eligible 

for TPS. Armed conflict and 

extraordinary and temporary conditions 

in South Sudan persist. Armed conflict 

poses a serious threat to the safety of 

returning nationals in South Sudan. 

Despite a 2018 ceasefire of South 

Sudan’s civil war, ongoing fighting 

between the major armed groups 

continue to result in violence against 

civilians, including civilian casualties 

and gender-based violence, in several 

large areas of the country. Extraordinary 

and temporary conditions that further 

prevent South Sudanese nationals from 

returning in safety include an 

exceptional level of intercommunal 

violence, a humanitarian crisis 

involving severe food insecurity, recordsetting flooding, and large-scale 

displacement of civilians. 

Since February 2020, limited 

implementation of the September 2018 

Revitalized Agreement on the 

Resolution of the Conflict in the 

Republic of South Sudan (R–ARCSS) 5

‘‘has hindered improvements in the 

protection of civilians and prospects for 

long-term peace’’ in South Sudan.6

Moreover, ongoing political disputes 

and disagreements between the two 

main signatories—the Sudan People’s 

Liberation Movement (SPLM), led by 

President Salva Kiir Mayardit, and the 

Sudan People’s Liberation MovementArmy in Opposition (SPLM/A–IO), led 

by the First Vice-President, Riek Machar 

Teny, ‘‘has widened existing political, 

military and ethnic divisions in the 

country and has led to multiple 

incidents of violence’’ between the two 

parties.7 Political divisions among the 

non-signatories 8 to the R–ARCSS have 

also not been resolved.9 Moreover, the 

SPLM/A–IO has begun to break apart 

and new splinter groups have formed,10

resulting in increased violence.11

Thus, South Sudan faces increasing 

violence 12 from both government 

security forces and armed groups.13 In 

2020, the United Nations (UN) and 

international organizations reported on 

‘‘widespread killings, mutilations, and 

sexual violence, disproportionately 

committed by government forces but 

also by the National Salvation Front 14

(NAS), a key opposition group.’’ 15 In 

March 2021, the UN Commission on 

Human Rights in South Sudan noted 

that armed clashes at the local level also 

resulted in the mass displacement of the 

civilian population, particularly women 

and girls.16 Children are among those 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2022 / Notices 12193 

4, 2021, pg. 14, available at: https://www.ecoi.net/ 

en/file/local/2046934/A_HRC_46_53_E.pdf. 

17South Sudan Humanitarian Situation Report, 

UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), December 30, 2021, 

pg. 2, available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/ 

south-sudan/unicef-south-sudan-humanitariansituation-report-no-163-1-30-november-2021. 

18Report of the Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan, UN Human Rights Council, February 

4, 2021, pg. 14; available at: https://www.ecoi.net/ 

en/file/local/2046934/A_HRC_46_53_E.pdf. 

19Panel of Experts on South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, April 15, 2021, pg. 16, available at: https:// 

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/final-report-panelexperts-south-sudan-submitted-pursuantresolution-2521-2020. 

20Situation in South Sudan; Report of the 

Secretary-General, UN Security Council, December 

7, 2021 pg. 5, available at: https://www.ecoi.net/en/ 

file/local/2065323/S_2021_1015_E.pdf. 

21Panel of Experts on South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, April 15, 2021, pg. 15, available at: https:// 

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/final-report-panelexperts-south-sudan-submitted-pursuantresolution-2521-2020. 

22South Sudan Humanitarian Fund Annual 

Report 2020, UN Office for the Coordination of 

Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), July 6, 2021, pg. 

7, available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/southsudan/south-sudan-humanitarian-fund-annualreport-2020. 

23South Sudan—Strengthening primary health 

care in fragile settings, World Health Organization, 

May 20, 2021, available at: https://www.who.int/ 

news-room/feature-stories/detail/south-sudan-2021. 

24South Sudan—Strengthening primary health 

care in fragile settings, World Health Organization, 

May 20, 2021, available at: https://www.who.int/ 

news-room/feature-stories/detail/south-sudan-2021. 

25South Sudan—Crisis, Fact Sheet #2 Fiscal Year 

2022, U.S. Agency for International Development 

(USAID), January 19, 2022, available at: https://

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/south-sudancomplex-emergency-fact-sheet-2-fiscal-year-fy-2022. 

26According to UNOCHA, as of January 2021 the 

total population of South Sudan is 12.1 million. 

South Sudan—Crisis, Fact Sheet #2 Fiscal Year 

2022, USAID, January 19, 2022, available at: https:// 

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/south-sudancomplex-emergency-fact-sheet-2-fiscal-year-fy-2022. 

27Marking a Decade of Independence, South 

Sudan Faces Slow Progress, Lingering Violence, 

Secretary-General’s Special Representative Tells 

Security Council, UN Security Council, June 22, 

2021, available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/ 

south-sudan/marking-decade-independence-southsudan-faces-slow-progress-lingering-violence. 

28Panel of Experts on South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, April 15, 2021, pg. 2, available at: https:// 

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/final-report-panelexperts-south-sudan-submitted-pursuantresolution-2521-2020. 

29Marking a Decade of Independence, South 

Sudan Faces Slow Progress, Lingering Violence, 

Secretary-General’s Special Representative Tells 

Security Council, UN Security Council, June 22, 

2021, available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/ 

south-sudan/marking-decade-independence-southsudan-faces-slow-progress-lingering-violence. 

30Report of the Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan, UN Human Rights Council, March 4, 

2021, pg. 4, available at: https://www.ecoi.net/en/ 

file/local/2046934/A_HRC_46_53_E.pdf. 

31Report of the Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan, United Nations General Assembly, 

January 31, 2020, pg. 6, available at: https://

www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2025863/A_HRC_43_56_

E.pdf. 

32Report of the Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan, UN Human Right Council, March 4, 

2021, pg. 13, available at: https://www.ecoi.net/en/ 

file/local/2046934/A_HRC_46_53_E.pdf. 

33Report of the Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan [A/HRC/46/53] UN Human Rights 

Council, March 4, 2021, pg. 4, available at: https:// 

www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2046934/A_HRC_46_53_

E.pdf. 

34Panel of Experts on South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, April 15, 2021, pg. 21, available at: https:// 

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/final-report-panelexperts-south-sudan-submitted-pursuantresolution-2521-2020. 

35Panel of Experts on South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, April 15, 2021, pg. 21, available at: https:// 

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/final-report-panelexperts-south-sudan-submitted-pursuantresolution-2521-2020. 

36 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights 

Practices: South Sudan, U.S. Department of State, 

March 31, 2021, section 1, available at: https://

www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-onhuman-rights-practices/south-sudan/. 

feeling the greatest impact of this 

violence, which—along with other 

factors—is exposing them to protection 

risks and life-threatening diseases.17

Moreover, sexual violence—including 

rape, gang rape, abduction, sexual 

slavery, and sexual mutilation remain 

‘‘consistent features of the conflict in 

South Sudan since 2013, and are now 

being replicated in conflict at the local 

level.’’ 18

Humanitarian organizations in South 

Sudan continue to face security and 

bureaucratic barriers that affect the 

delivery of and access to humanitarian 

aid and pose ‘‘serious personal risks to 

aid workers.’’ 19

Moreover, in 2021, ‘‘widespread 

flooding, ongoing violence, and 

subsequent displacement continued to 

deepen humanitarian needs in South 

Sudan.’’ 20 As a result, South Sudan is 

also facing ‘‘one of the direst food crises 

the country has faced since its 

independence in 2011.’’ 21 Chronic food 

shortages, a deepening economic crisis, 

insecurity, and limited agricultural 

production have led to high levels of 

acute malnutrition.22 South Sudan’s 

health care infrastructure also remains 

inadequate.23 Facilities are limited, 

often inaccessible, and facing staffing 

shortages amongst ongoing insecurity 

and violence.24

Numbers at a Glance 

The United States Agency for 

International Development (USAID) 

provided the following key statistics for 

South Sudan in a January 19, 2022 Fact 

Sheet: 25

• Number of people in need of 

Humanitarian Assistance: 

8,300,000 26 (per UN Office for the 

Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 

(UNOCHA) as of March 2021) 

• Number of estimated internally 

displaced persons (IDPs): 2,000,000 

(per UNOCHA as of January 2022) 

• Number of people affected by ongoing 

floods since May 2021: 835,000 (per 

UNOCHA as of January 2022) 

• Estimated number of refugees from 

South Sudan in neighboring 

countries: 2,300,000 (per Office of the 

UN High Commissioner for Refugees 

(UNHCR) as of November 2021) 

Security Situation 

In June 2021, the UN reported that 

‘‘the overall implementation of the R– 

ARCSS is progressing slowly.’’ 27

Political gridlock over implementation 

of the political and security aspects of 

the R–ARCSS have also contributed to 

insecurity in South Sudan.28 The UN 

further assessed that weak or absent 

State governance has allowed 

‘‘perennial communal and ethnic 

cleavages,’’ while entrenched insecurity 

contributes to a vicious cycle of 

livestock raiding and subsequent food 

insecurity. A weakened rule of law and 

flagging economic conditions have 

resulted in increased criminality and 

the targeting of humanitarian workers.29

The lack of adequate financial 

resources and logistical support for the 

unification, training, and deployment of 

the South Sudan armed forces, as 

outlined in the R–ARCSS, remains a 

significant security challenge.30 A key 

component of the R–ARCSS is the longterm garrisoning (cantonment), 

registration, screening, selection, 

training and redeployment of opposition 

forces and the creation of a unified army 

of 83,000 soldiers. South Sudanese 

military cantonment sites and training 

centers 31 have made little progress in 

establishing a unified force, further 

contributing to a security vacuum in the 

country.32 Security forces in the few 

cantonment sites often lack access to 

basic services, such as food, water, 

sanitation and health care.33 In addition, 

the proliferation and availability of 

small amounts of ammunition across 

South Sudan 34 has ‘‘enabled armed 

groups not associated with government 

security forces, such as local militias 

and cattle-raiding groups, to perpetuate 

instability’’ in the country.35

The U.S. Department of State noted in 

its 2020 Country Reports on Human 

Rights Practices for South Sudan that: 

The United Nations, international ceasefire monitors, human rights organizations, 

and media reported the government, or its 

agents, committed numerous arbitrary or 

unlawful killings. Security forces, opposition 

forces, armed militias affiliated with the 

government and the opposition, and 

ethnically based groups were also 

responsible for widespread extrajudicial 

killings.36

Moreover, in 2020, ongoing violence 

in Jonglei and the Greater Pibor 

Administration Area was ‘‘the worst 


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12194 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2022 / Notices 

37Report of the Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan UN Human Rights Council, March 4, 

2021, pg. 7, available at: https://www.ecoi.net/en/ 

file/local/2046934/A_HRC_46_53_E.pdf. 

38Report of the Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan, UN Human Rights Council, March 4, 

2021, pg. 9, available at: https://www.ecoi.net/en/ 

file/local/2046934/A_HRC_46_53_E.pdf. 

39 Id. 

40Situation in South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, September 9, 2021, pg. 4, available at: 

https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2060682/S_

2021_784_E.pdf. 

41To better monitor, prevent, and end these 

attacks, the United Nations Security Council 

hasidentified and condemned six grave violations 

against children in times of war: Killing and 

maiming of children; recruitment or use of children 

in armed forces and armed groups; attacks on 

schools or hospitals; rape or other grave sexual 

violence; abduction of children; and denial of 

humanitarian access for children, The Six Grave 

Violations, Office of the Special Representative of 

the Secretary General for Children and Armed 

Conflict, https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/ 

six-grave-violations/ (last visited on January 13, 

2022). 

42 Id. 

43Report of the Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan, United Nations General Assembly, 

February 4, 2021, pg. 7, available at: https://

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/reportcommission-human-rights-south-sudan-ahrc4653. 

44Children and armed conflict in South Sudan, 

United Nations Security Council, May 6, 2021, pg. 

21, available at: https://www.un.org/ga/search/ 

view_doc.asp?symbol=S/2021/ 

437&Lang=E&Area=UNDOC. 

45 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights 

Practices: South Sudan, U.S. Department of State, 

March 31, 2021, section 5, available at: https://

www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-onhuman-rights-practices/south-sudan/. 

46Report of the Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan, UN Human Rights Council, February 

4, 2021, pg. 13, https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/ 

2046934/A_HRC_46_53_E.pdf. 

47 Id. 

48 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights 

Practices: South Sudan, U.S. Department of State, 

March 31, 2021, section 5, available at: https://

www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-onhuman-rights-practices/south-sudan/. 

49Report of the Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan, United Nations General Assembly, 

February 4, 2021, pg. 7, https://reliefweb.int/report/ 

south-sudan/report-commission-human-rightssouth-sudan-ahrc4653. 

50UNHCR Position on Returns to South Sudan, 

UNHCR, October 2021, pg. 7, https://

www.refworld.org/pdfid/617676f04.pdf. 

51 2020 Country Reports on Human Rights 

Practices: South Sudan, U.S. Department of State, 

March 31, 2021, section 5, available at: https://

www.state.gov/reports/2020-country-reports-onhuman-rights-practices/south-sudan/. 

52South Sudan—Violence, floods, displacement 

in Jonglei, European Civil Protection and 

Humanitarian Aid Operations, August 11, 2020, 

available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/southsudan/south-sudan-violence-floods-displacementjonglei-dg-echo-ocha-media-echo-daily. 

53Panel of Experts on South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, April 15, 2021, pg. 16, https://

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/final-report-panelexperts-south-sudan-submitted-pursuantresolution-2521-2020. 

54Situation in South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, September 9, 2021, pg. 6, https://

www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2060682/S_2021_784_

E.pdf. 

55Panel of Experts on South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, April 15, 2021, pg. 25, https://

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/final-report-panelexperts-south-sudan-submitted-pursuantresolution-2521-2020. 

56South Sudan—Violence, floods, displacement 

in Jonglei, European Civil Protection and 

Humanitarian Aid Operations, August 11, 2020, 

https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/southsudan-violence-floods-displacement-jonglei-dgecho-ocha-media-echo-daily. 

57Situation in South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, September 9, 2021, pg. 6–7, https://

www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2060682/S_2021_784_

E.pdf. 

recorded since the outbreak of the 

national conflict in South Sudan in 

December 2013, with waves of attacks 

and reprisals that left hundreds of South 

Sudanese women, men and children 

dead, maimed or destitute.’’ 37 In March 

2021, the UN Commission on Human 

Rights in South Sudan assessed that 

‘‘gross human rightsviolations and 

abuses amounting to serious violations 

of international humanitarian law were 

committed in the context of localized 

conflicts by armed militias affiliated to 

the primary parties in conflict—the 

South Sudan People’s Defence Forces 

(SSPDF) and the Sudan People’s 

Liberation Movement—In Opposition 

(SPLA–IO).’’ 38 These acts included 

those’’: 

perpetrated against civilians, includ[ing] 

abductions, forced recruitment (including of 

children), murder, sexual violence, illtreatment, looting and the unnecessary 

destruction of property. Many of these 

attacks revealed a shocking disregard for 

civilian lives.39

In 2021, Upper Nile, Warrap, Lakes, 

Central Equatoria, and Western 

Equatoria states were particularly 

affected by violence ‘‘resulting in 

displacement, increased protection risks 

and rights violations, as well as 

diminished humanitarian access.’’ 40

Violence Against Children 

Children in South Sudan continued to 

be victims of what the Office of the 

Special Representative of the Secretary 

General for Children and Armed 

Conflict refers to as ‘‘grave violations’’ 

against children.41 According to the UN 

Security Council’s 2021 Children and 

Armed Conflict in South Sudan report, 

children were recruited by the SPLM/ 

A–IO and the SSPDF.42 In addition, 

hundreds of girls and boys continue to 

be abducted.43 Perpetrators of child 

abduction included the NAS, SPLM/A– 

IO, and SSPDF.44 Child abuse, including 

sexual abuse, was reportedly also 

widespread in South Sudan.45

Sexual and Gender-Based Violence 

Sexual and gender-based violence 

remains a ‘‘hallmark of the conflict in 

South Sudan.’’ 46 In February 2021, the 

UN Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan reported that: 

As of September 2020, South Sudan had 

seen an estimated 88 percent increase in the 

number of women victims of conflict-related 

sexual violence since the previous quarter 

and a 119 percent rise in the number of 

abductions since the previous quarter. The 

upsurge in localized conflict in Central 

Equatoria (Yei and surrounding areas), 

Jonglei and the Greater Pibor Administrative 

Area and Warrap (Tonj West and North) saw 

women and girls targeted by all sides.47

In addition, rural communities often 

abducted women and children during 

cattle raids.48 Girls who are abducted 

have been reportedly ‘‘forced into 

sexual slavery, tortured and repeatedly 

gang raped.’’ 49 According to credible 

reports, perpetrators of forced marriage 

and sexual violence include security 

forces, community-based militias, civil 

defense groups, and other armed 

groups.50

Humanitarian Situation 

In 2020, continued violence, 

particularly in Jonglei, Warrap, and the 

Greater Equatoria region resulted in 

‘‘sustained mass population 

displacement, both within the country 

and into neighboring countries, and 

high levels of humanitarian and 

protection needs.’’ 51 Insecurity and 

COVID-related restrictions also further 

hampered humanitarian organizations’ 

ability to deploy and respond to medical 

and other emergency needs in the 

area.52

In January 2021, UNOCHA assessed 

that ‘‘more people in South Sudan than 

ever are in need of humanitarian 

assistance,’’ resulting in an ‘‘estimated 

8.5 million people, over two thirds of 

the population, in need of humanitarian 

assistance, compared to 7.5 million in 

2020 and 7.1 million in 2019.’’ 53 South 

Sudan is also facing high levels of food 

insecurity and violence, coupled with 

flooding and the impact of the COVID– 

19 pandemic.54

Displacement 

Civilians faced significant conflictrelated forced displacement in South 

Sudan.55 In August 2020, UNOCHA 

estimated that since February 2020, 

157,000 people had been displaced in 

several counties in Jonglei state, as a 

result of the ongoing violence and 

revenge attacks among the warring 

parties.56 In 2021, fighting between 

armed forces, ongoing violence, and 

cattle raids in Central and Western 

Equatoria, Jonglei, the Greater Pibor 

Administrative Area and Upper Nile 

states ‘‘uprooted people and disrupted 

humanitarian activities.’’ 57 In Western 

Equatoria, an estimated 80,000 people 


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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2022 / Notices 12195 

58Situation in South Sudan; Report of the 

Secretary-General, UN Security Council, December 

7, 2021, pg. 5, https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/ 

2065323/S_2021_1015_E.pdf. 

59Situation in South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, September 9, 2021, pg. 6, https://

www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2060682/S_2021_784_

E.pdf. 

60 Id. at pg. 7. 

61According to the Food and Agriculture 

Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the lack 

of ‘‘regular access to enough safe and nutritious 

food for normal growth and development and an 

active and healthy life. This may be due to 

unavailability of food and/or lack of resources to 

obtain food. Food insecurity can be experienced at 

different levels of severity.’’ Hunger and food 

security, Food and Agriculture Organization of the 

United Nations (FAO), https://www.fao.org/hunger/ 

glossary (last visited January 13, 2022). 

62South Sudan Humanitarian Fund Annual 

Report 2020, UNOCHA, July 6, 2021, pg. 7, 

available at https://reliefweb.int/report/southsudan/south-sudan-humanitarian-fund-annualreport-2020. 

63South Sudan Humanitarian Fund Annual 

Report 2020, UNOCHA, July 6, 2021, pg. 7, 

available at https://reliefweb.int/report/southsudan/south-sudan-humanitarian-fund-annualreport-2020. 

64Situation in South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, September 9, 2021, pg. 6, available at 

https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2060682/S_

2021_784_E.pdf. 

65South Sudan Situation Report, World Food 

Programme, October 29, 2021, pg.1, available at 

https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/wfp-southsudan-situation-report-296-29-october-2021. 

66Situation in South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, September 9, 2021, pg. 6, available at 

https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2060682/S_

2021_784_E.pdf. 

67South Sudan Humanitarian Fund Annual 

Report 2020, UNOCHA, July 6, 2021, pg. 7, 

available at https://reliefweb.int/report/southsudan/south-sudan-humanitarian-fund-annualreport-2020. 

68 Id. 

69South Sudan Situation Report, World Food 

Programme, October 29, 2021, pg.1, available at 

https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/wfp-southsudan-situation-report-296-29-october-2021. 

70South Sudan Situation Report, REACH, 

December 2021, pg. 2, available at https://

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/south-sudanflooding-trends-counties-particular-concern-foodinsecurity-december. 

71 Id. at pg. 1. 

72South Sudan Situation Report, UNOCHA, 

December 2021, pg. 1, available at https://

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/south-sudanhumanitarian-snapshot-december-2021. 

73South Sudan Humanitarian Snapshot, 

UNOCHA, August 2021, pg. 1, available at https:// 

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/south-sudanhumanitarian-snapshot-august-2021. 

74Report of the Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan, United Nations General Assembly, 

February 4, 2021, pg. 10, available at https://

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/reportcommission-human-rights-south-sudan-ahrc4653. 

75Report of the Commission on Human Rights in 

South Sudan, United Nations General Assembly, 

February 4, 2021, pg. 11, available at https://

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/reportcommission-human-rights-south-sudan-ahrc4653.1. 

76Situation in South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, September 9, 2021, pg. 7, available at 

https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2060682/S_

2021_784_E.pdf. 

77Situation in South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, September 9, 2021, pg. 7, available at 

https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2060682/S_

2021_784_E.pdf. 

78Situation in South Sudan; Report of the 

Secretary-General, UN Security Council, December 

7, 2021, pg. 7, available at https://www.ecoi.net/en/ 

file/local/2065323/S_2021_1015_E.pdf. 

79Situation in South Sudan; Report of the 

Secretary-General, UN Security Council, December 

7, 2021, pg. 5–6, available at https://www.ecoi.net/ 

en/file/local/2065323/S_2021_1015_E.pdf. 

80Situation in South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, September 9, 2021. pg. 7, available at 

https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2060682/S_

2021_784_E.pdf. 

81Situation in South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, September 9, 2021, pg. 6–7, available at 

https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2060682/S_

2021_784_E.pdf. 

82Situation in South Sudan; Report of the 

Secretary-General [S/2021/1015], UN Security 

Council, December 7, 2021, pg. 5–6, available at 

https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2065323/S_

2021_1015_E.pdf. 

83Panel of Experts on South Sudan, UN Security 

Council, April 15, 2021, pg. 16–17, available at 

Continued 

were displaced in Tambura country.58

In early July 2021, fighting in Warrap 

state displaced around 10,000 people 

and left hundreds without any shelter.59

In Upper Nile, in August 2021, fighting 

among factions of SPLM/A–IO 

displaced some 2,000 people.60

Food Insecurity 61 and Floods 

South Sudan remains one of the most 

food-insecure countries in the world.62

The overall food security situation 

deteriorated towards the end of 2020.63

Between April and July 2021, an 

estimated 7.2 million people, 60 percent 

of the population, faced high levels of 

acute food insecurity.64 Malnutrition in 

particular remains a pressing issue in 

South Sudan, with approximately 1.9 

million women and children acutely 

malnourished.65 Malnutrition levels 

among children under five years of age 

are above emergency thresholds in 

many parts of the country, and 1.4 

million children are estimated to be 

acutely malnourished.66 The main 

factors driving food insecurity and 

malnourishment are the ongoing 

conflicts, flooding, and COVID–19.67

Moreover, COVID–19 mitigation efforts 

also disrupted access to supply chains 

for commercial and humanitarian 

assistance, further contributing to food 

insecurity.68

In October 2021, the World Food 

Programme (WFP) reported that South 

Sudan faced a third year of 

unprecedented flooding.69 The flooding 

was exacerbated by standing water from 

major floods in the previous two years, 

most of which had not fully receded.70

The most recent flooding has led to 

‘‘widespread displacement, destruction 

of livelihoods and contamination of 

water sources, compounding existing 

insecurity issues in many regions.’’ 71 In 

its December 2021 report, UNOCHA 

reported that the number of people 

affected by floods since May 2021 was 

835,000,72 up from the 380,000 reported 

in August 2021.73 In its February 2021 

report, the UN Commission on Human 

Rights in South Sudan reported that 

‘‘since the onset of the floods in July 

2020, more than one million South 

Sudanese have been affected by the 

flooding and more than 856,000 people 

were displaced and forced to seek refuge 

on higher ground.’’ 74 The Commission 

further noted that: 

The floods also destroyed hectares of crops 

and led to the loss of livestock indispensable 

to the survival of local populations. 

Moreover, vital water sources became heavily 

contaminated, rendering vulnerable 

communities unable to flee at severe risk of 

contracting life-threatening waterborne 

diseases, including typhoid and cholera.75

Access to Humanitarian Assistance 

Insecurity continued to affect access 

to humanitarian assistance, particularly 

in parts of Central and Western 

Equatoria, Jonglei, and the Greater Pibor 

Administrative Area.76 In addition, in 

2021 humanitarian workers and 

facilities continued to be targeted and at 

risk of attack,77 resulting in the 

disruption and suspension of 

humanitarian action.78 In December 

2021, the UN assessed that between 

September and November 2021, ‘‘89 

humanitarian access incidents were 

reported, including 13 ambushes and 5 

lootings, a 47 percent increase 

compared with the previous reporting 

period [published in June 2021].’’ 79 In 

Western Equatoria, health facilities were 

looted and destroyed; since the 

beginning of 2021, more than 911 metric 

tons of food items and nutritional 

supplements have been looted or 

destroyed.80 Moreover, recurring 

violence in Jonglei and Greater Pibor 

Administrative Area affected the 

delivery of critical humanitarian 

assistance to highly food-insecure 

people.81 In addition, poor road 

conditions, compounded by heavy rain 

and ongoing floods, have led to access 

challenges and slowed the response in 

the flood-affected areas.82 The 

government of South Sudan also has 

limited access to humanitarian aid by 

establishing: 

an intentionally complex bureaucratic system 

for the delivery of aid and has failed to 

guarantee the safe delivery of humanitarian 

aid. In particular, multiple sources raised 

serious concerns about the Government’s 

deliberate policy of denying or delaying the 

issuance of visas for hundreds of 

international humanitarian staff who had 

been evacuated from South Sudan owing to 

COVID–19.83


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12196 Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2022 / Notices 

https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/finalreport-panel-experts-south-sudan-submittedpursuant-resolution-2521-2020. 

84Renewed violence and delayed implementation 

of the peace agreement severely threaten peace and 

stability in South Sudan, UN experts note, UNHCR, 

August 14, 2020, available at https://www.ecoi.net/ 

en/document/2036539.html. 

85South Sudan—Strengthening primary health 

care in fragile settings, World Health Organization, 

May 20, 2021, available at https://www.who.int/ 

news-room/feature-stories/detail/south-sudan-2021. 

86South Sudan Humanitarian Needs Overview 

2021 (January 2021), UNOCHA, January 2021, pg. 

12, available at https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/ 

2045425/south_sudan_2021_humanitarian_needs_

overview.pdf. 

87South Sudan Humanitarian Needs Overview 

2021 (January 2021), UNOCHA, January 2021, pg. 

12, available at https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/ 

2045425/south_sudan_2021_humanitarian_needs_

overview.pdf. 

88Strengthening public health surveillance and 

response using the third Edition Integrated Disease 

Surveillance and Response guidelines in South 

Sudan, World Health Organization, November 27, 

2021, available at https://reliefweb.int/report/southsudan/strengthening-public-health-surveillanceand-response-using-third-edition. 

89South Sudan Country Brief, World Food 

Programme, November 2021, pg. 1, available at 

https://reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/wfp-southsudan-country-brief-november-2021. 

90South Sudan COVID–19 Dashboard, World 

Health Organization, https://covid19.who.int/ 

region/emro/country/sd (last visited on January 19, 

2022). 

91South Sudan Economic Update, June 2021: 

Pathways to Sustainable Food Security, The World 

Bank, July 2, 2021, available at https://reliefweb.int/ 

report/south-sudan/south-sudan-economic-updatejune-2021-pathways-sustainable-food-security. 

92South Sudan Economic Update, June 2021: 

Pathways to Sustainable Food Security, The World 

Bank, July 2, 2021, available at https://reliefweb.int/ 

report/south-sudan/south-sudan-economic-updatejune-2021-pathways-sustainable-food-security. 

93South Sudan Humanitarian Needs Overview 

2021 (January 2021), UNOCHA, January 2021, pg. 

12, available at https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/ 

2045425/south_sudan_2021_humanitarian_needs_

overview.pdf. 

94South Sudan Economic Update, June 2021: 

Pathways to Sustainable Food Security, The World 

Bank, July 2, 2021, available at https://reliefweb.int/ 

report/south-sudan/south-sudan-economic-updatejune-2021-pathways-sustainable-food-security. 

95South Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan, 

FAO, May 2021, pg. 2, available at https://

reliefweb.int/report/south-sudan/south-sudanhumanitarian-response-plan-2021. 

Healthcare and COVID–19 

In August 2020, UNHCR reported that 

‘‘about 56 percent of South Sudan’s 

population does not have access to 

primary healthcare services.’’ 84 In 

addition, less than 2 percent of South 

Sudan’s national budget is spent on 

healthcare,85 resulting in poorly 

equipped health facilities with limited 

staff.86 In January 2021, UNOCHA 

reported that ‘‘out of approximately 

2,300 health facilities, more than 1,300 

are non-functional. Of the functioning 

health facilities, 57 percent are 

supported by humanitarian and 

development partners and many remain 

in areas that are not easily accessible by 

the communities.’’ 87 South Sudan also 

continues to face ‘‘regular outbreaks of 

infectious diseases like measles, waterborne diseases such as diarrhea and 

Hepatitis E virus, and vector-borne 

diseases like malaria and yellow fever,’’ 

in addition to the impact of the COVID– 

19 pandemic.88 According to the WFP, 

the ‘‘COVID–19 pandemic continues to 

present serious risks to an already 

fragile situation, threatening to further 

exacerbate acute food insecurity.’’ 89 As 

of January 3, 2022, 16,607 people had 

contracted COVID–19, including 136 

associated deaths.90

Economic Situation 

According to the World Bank, South 

Sudan is facing ‘‘concurrent setbacks in 

the economy’’ due to rising poverty, 

food insecurity and a resurgence of 

conflict.91 Moreover, falling global oil 

prices have also affected South Sudan’s 

oil revenues.92 South Sudan’s economy 

is heavily oil-dependent, with oil 

accounting for 90 percent of government 

revenue and nearly all exports.93 This 

situation has caused a ‘‘great percentage 

of South Sudanese people to lose their 

sources of livelihood and has left some 

communities facing catastrophic 

needs.’’ 94 Moreover, urgent and 

essentials measures to manage the 

COVID–19 pandemic, ‘‘worsened 

economic conditions, disrupting 

livelihoods and affecting vulnerable 

households’ access to markets, food and 

adequate income.’’ 95

Based upon this review and after 

consultation with appropriate U.S. 

Government agencies, the Secretary has 

determined that: 

• The conditions supporting South 

Sudan’s designation for TPS continue to 

be met. See INA section 244(b)(3)(A) 

and (C), 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(3)(A) and (C). 

• There continues to be an ongoing 

armed conflict in South Sudan and, due 

to such conflict, requiring the return to 

South Sudan of South Sudanese 

nationals (or individuals having no 

nationality who last habitually resided 

in South Sudan) would pose a serious 

threat to their personal safety. See INA 

section 244(b)(1)(A), 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(1)(A). 

• There continue to be extraordinary 

and temporary conditions in South 

Sudan that prevent South Sudanese 

nationals (or individuals having no 

nationality who last habitually resided 

in South Sudan) from returning to South 

Sudan in safety, and it is not contrary 

to the national interest of the United 

States to permit South Sudanese TPS 

beneficiaries to remain in the United 

States temporarily. See INA section 

244(b)(1)(C), 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(1)(C). 

• The designation of South Sudan for 

TPS should be extended for an 18- 

month period, from May 3, 2022, 

through November 3, 2023. See INA 

section 244(b)(3)(C), 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(3)(C). 

• Due to the conditions described 

above, South Sudan should be 

simultaneously extended and 

redesignated for TPS effective May 3, 

2022, through November 3, 2023. See 

section 244(b)(1)(A) and (C) and (b)(2) of 

the Act, 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(1)(A) and (C) 

and (b)(2). 

• For the redesignation, the Secretary 

has determined that TPS applicants 

must demonstrate that they have 

continuously resided in the United 

States since March 1, 2022. 

• Initial TPS applicants under the 

redesignation must demonstrate that 

they have been continuously physically 

present in the United States since March 

3, 2022, the effective date of the 

redesignation of South Sudan for TPS. 

• There are approximately 97 current 

South Sudanese TPS beneficiaries who 

are expected to be eligible to re-register 

for TPS under the extension. 

• It is estimated that approximately 

235 additional individuals may be 

eligible for TPS under the redesignation 

of South Sudan. This population 

includes South Sudanese nationals in 

the United States in nonimmigrant 

status or without immigration status. 

Notice of Extension of the TPS 

Designation and Redesignation of South 

Sudan for TPS 

By the authority vested in me as 

Secretary under INA section 244, 8 

U.S.C. 1254a, I have determined, after 

consultation with the appropriate 

Government agencies, the conditions 

supporting South Sudan’s designation 

for TPS continue to be met. See INA 

section 244(b)(3)(A), 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(b)(3)(A). On the basis of this 

determination, I am simultaneously 

extending the existing designation of 

TPS for South Sudan for 18 months, 

from May 3, 2022, through November 3, 

2023, and redesignating South Sudan 

for TPS for the same 18-month period. 

See INA section 244(b)(1)(A), (b)(1)(C) 

and (b)(2); 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(1)(A), 

(b)(1)(C), and (b)(2). 

Alejandro N. Mayorkas, 

Secretary, U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security. 

Required Application Forms and 

Application Fees To Register or ReRegister for TPS 

To register or re-register for TPS based 

on the designation of South Sudan, you 

must submit an Application for 


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Temporary Protected Status (Form I– 

821). If you are filing an initial 

application, you must pay the fee for the 

Form I–821 or request a fee waiver. If 

you are filing an application for reregistration, you do not need to pay the 

fee for the Form I–821. There is no Form 

I–821 fee for re-registration. See 8 CFR 

244.17. You may be required to pay the 

biometric services fee. If you can 

demonstrate an inability to pay the 

biometric services fee, you may request 

to have the fee waived. Please see 

additional information under the 

‘‘Biometric Services Fee’’ section of this 

notice. 

Through this Federal Register notice, 

your existing EAD issued under the TPS 

designation of South Sudan with the 

expiration date of May 2, 2022, is 

automatically extended for 180 days, 

through November 1, 2022. If you want 

to obtain a new EAD valid through 

November 3, 2023, you must file an 

Application for Employment 

Authorization (Form I–765) and pay the 

Form I–765 fee (or request a fee waiver). 

If you do not want a new EAD, you do 

not have to file Form I–765 and pay the 

Form I–765 fee. If you do not want to 

request a new EAD now, you may also 

file Form I–765 at a later date and pay 

the fee (or request a fee waiver), 

provided that you still have TPS or a 

pending TPS application. However, you 

are strongly encouraged to file your 

application for a new EAD as early as 

possible to avoid gaps in the validity of 

your employment authorization 

documentation and to ensure that you 

receive your new EAD by November 1, 

2022. 

If you are applying for initial 

registration and want an EAD, you must 

file and pay the fee for the Form I–765 

(or request a fee waiver). If you do not 

want to request an EAD now, you may 

also file Form I–765 at a later date and 

pay the fee (or request a fee waiver), 

provided that you still have TPS or a 

pending TPS application. You may file 

the application for a new EAD either 

prior to or after your current EAD has 

expired. 

Everyone must provide their 

employer with documentation showing 

that they have the legal right to work in 

the United States. In general, TPS 

beneficiaries, including those who are 

not employed, are not required to have 

an EAD. But they can obtain one and if 

they work, the EAD is an acceptable 

document that proves their legal right to 

work. 

If you have a Form I–821 or Form I– 

765 that was still pending as of March 

3, 2022, then you do not need to file 

either application again. If USCIS 

approves your pending TPS application, 

USCIS will grant you TPS through 

November 3, 2023. Similarly, if USCIS 

approves your pending TPS-related 

Form I–765, it will be valid through the 

same date. 

For more information on the 

application forms and fees for TPS, 

please visit the USCIS TPS web page at 

https://www.uscis.gov/tps. Fees for the 

Form I–821, the Form I–765, and 

biometric services are also described in 

8 CFR 103.7(b)(1)(i). 

Biometric Services Fee 

Biometrics (such as fingerprints) are 

required for all applicants 14 years of 

age and older. Those applicants must 

generally submit a biometric services 

fee. As previously stated, if you can 

demonstrate an inability to pay the 

biometric services fee, you may be able 

to have the fee waived. You may request 

a fee waiver by submitting a Request for 

Fee Waiver (Form I–912). For more 

information on the application forms 

and fees for TPS, please visit the USCIS 

TPS web page at www.uscis.gov/tps. 

USCIS may require you to visit an 

Application Support Center so we can 

capture your biometrics. For additional 

information on the USCIS biometrics 

screening process, please see the USCIS 

Customer Profile Management Service 

Privacy Impact Assessment, available at 

www.dhs.gov/privacy. 

Refiling a TPS Initial Registration 

Application After Receiving Notice 

That USCIS Did Not Grant the Fee 

Waiver Request 

You should file as soon as possible so 

USCIS can process your application and 

issue any EAD promptly, if you 

requested one. If USCIS denies your fee 

waiver request related to your initial 

TPS application, you must refile your 

Form I–821 for TPS along with the 

required fees no later than November 3, 

2023, to continue seeking initial TPS. If 

USCIS does not grant your fee waiver 

request, you may also refile your Form 

I–765, with fee, either with your Form 

I–821 or at a later time as long as it is 

within the period that South Sudan is 

designated for TPS, if you choose. 

Note: Unless USCIS grants a fee waiver, an 

initial applicant for TPS must pay the Form 

I–821 filing fee and applicants age 14 or older 

must also pay the biometric services fee. 

However, if you decide to wait to request an 

EAD, you do not have to file the Form I–765 

or pay the associated Form I–765 fee (or 

request a fee waiver) at the time of 

registration. You may wait to seek an EAD 

until after USCIS has approved your TPS 

registration application or at any later date 

you decide you want to request an EAD as 

long as TPS for South Sudan continues. To 

register for TPS, you only need to file the 

Form I–821 with the $50 filing fee and the 

biometric services fee, if applicable (or 

request a fee waiver). 

Refiling a TPS Re-Registration 

Application After Receiving Notice 

That the Fee Waiver Request Was Not 

Granted 

You should file as soon as possible 

within the 60-day re-registration period 

so USCIS can process your application 

and issue any EAD promptly, if you 

requested one. Properly filing early will 

also give you time to refile your 

application before the deadline, if 

USCIS does not grant your fee waiver 

request. If you receive a notice that 

USCIS did not grant your fee waiver 

request, and you are unable to refile by 

the re-registration deadline, you may 

still refile your Form I–821 with the 

biometrics fee. USCIS will review this 

situation to determine whether you 

established good cause for late TPS reregistration. However, if possible, we 

urge you to refile within 45 days of the 

date on any USCIS notice that we did 

not grant you a fee waiver. See INA 

section 244(c)(3)(C); 8 U.S.C. 

1254a(c)(3)(C); 8 CFR 244.17(b). For 

more information on good cause for late 

re-registration, visit the USCIS TPS web 

page at https://www.uscis.gov/tps. If 

USCIS does not grant your fee waiver 

request, you may also refile your Form 

I–765 with the fee either with your 

Form I–821 or at a later time, if you 

choose. 

Note: A re-registering TPS beneficiary age 

14 and older must pay the biometric services 

fee (but not the Form I–821 filing fee), or 

request a fee waiver, when filing a TPS reregistration application. However, if you 

decide to wait to request an EAD, you do not 

have to file the Form I–765 or pay the 

associated Form I–765 fee (or request a fee 

waiver) at the time of re-registration. You 

may wait to seek an EAD until after USCIS 

has approved your TPS re-registration 

application or at any later date you decide 

you want to request an EAD. To re-register 

for TPS, you only need to file the Form I– 

821 with the biometric services fee, if 

applicable (or request a fee waiver). 

Filing Information 

USCIS offers the option to applicants 

for TPS under South Sudan’s 

designation to file Form I–821 and 

related requests for EADs online or by 

mail. When filing a TPS application, 

applicants can also request an EAD by 

submitting a completed Form I–765, 

Application for Employment 

Authorization, with their Form I–821. 

Online filing: Form I–821 and I–765 

are available for concurrent filing 


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96Find information about online filing at Forms 

Available to File Online, https://www.uscis.gov/fileonline/forms-available-to-file-online. 

97https://myaccount.uscis.gov/users/sign_up. 

online.96 To file these forms online, you 

must first create a USCIS online 

account.97 Online filing is not available 

for applicants requesting a fee waiver. 

Such applications should be completed 

by mail. 

Mail filing: Mail your application for 

TPS to the proper address in Table 1. 

Table 1—Mailing Addresses 

Mail your completed Application for 

Temporary Protected Status (Form I– 

821) and Application for Employment 

Authorization (Form I–765), Request for 

Fee Waiver (Form I–912) (if applicable) 

and supporting documentation to the 

proper address in Table 1. 

TABLE 1—MAILING ADDRESSES

If you would like to send your application 

by: Then, mail your application to: 

U.S. Postal Service ................................. USCIS, Attn: TPS South Sudan, P.O. Box 6943, Chicago, IL 60680–6943. 

FedEx, UPS, or DHL ............................... USCIS, Attn: TPS South Sudan (Box 6943), 131 S Dearborn St. 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60603–5517. 

If you were granted TPS by an 

Immigration Judge (IJ) or the Board of 

Immigration Appeals (BIA) and you 

wish to request an EAD or are reregistering for the first time following a 

grant of TPS by an IJ or the BIA, please 

mail your application to the appropriate 

mailing address in Table 1. When you 

are re-registering and requesting an EAD 

based on an IJ/BIA grant of TPS, please 

include a copy of the IJ or BIA order 

granting you TPS with your application. 

This will help us to verify your grant of 

TPS and process your application. 

Supporting Documents 

The filing instructions on the Form I– 

821 list all the documents needed to 

establish eligibility for TPS. You may 

also find information on the acceptable 

documentation and other requirements 

for applying or registering for TPS on 

the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov/tps 

under ‘‘South Sudan.’’ 

Travel 

TPS beneficiaries may also apply for 

and be granted travel authorization as a 

matter of discretion. You must file an 

application for advance parole if you 

wish to travel outside the United States. 

Advance parole gives you permission to 

leave the United States and return 

during a specific period. TPS 

beneficiaries retain the same 

immigration status they had prior to the 

travel. To request advance parole, you 

must file Form I–131, Application for 

Travel Document, available at 

www.uscis.gov/i-131. You may file Form 

I–131 together with your Form I–821 or 

separately. When filing the Form I–131, 

you must: 

• Select Item Number 1.d. in Part 2 on 

the Form I–131; and 

• Submit the fee for the Form I–131, or 

request a fee waiver, which may be 

submitted on Request for Fee Waiver 

(Form I–912) 

If you are filing Form I–131 together 

with Form I–821, send your forms to the 

address listed in Table 1 above. If you 

are filing Form I–131 separately based 

on a pending or approved Form I–821, 

send your form to the address listed in 

Table 2 below and include a copy of 

Form I–797 for the approved or pending 

Form I–821. 

TABLE 2—MAILING ADDRESSES

If you . . . Mail to . . . 

Are filing Form I–131 together with a Form I–821, Application for Temporary Protected Status.U.S. Postal Service (USPS): USCIS, Attn: TPS South Sudan, P.O. Box 

6943, Chicago, IL 60680–6943. 

FedEx, UPS, or DHL: USCIS, Attn: TPS South Sudan (Box 6943), 131 

S Dearborn St. 3rd Floor, Chicago, IL 60603–5517. 

Are filing Form I–131 based on a pending or approved Form I–821 ......

You must include a copy of the receipt notice (Form I–797C) showing 

we accepted or approved your Form I–821.

U.S. Postal Service (USPS): USCIS, Attn: I–131 TPS, P.O. Box 

660167, Dallas, TX 75266–0867. 

FedEx, UPS, or DHL: USCIS, Attn: I–131 TPS, 2501 S State Hwy. 121 

Business, Ste. 400, Lewisville, TX 75067. 

General Employment-Related 

Information for TPS Applicants and 

Their Employers 

How can I obtain information on the 

status of my TPS application and EAD 

request? 

To get case status information about 

your TPS application, including the 

status of an EAD request, you can check 

Case Status Online at https://

www.uscis.gov, or visit the USCIS 

Contact Center at uscis.gov/ 

contactcenter. If your Form I–765 has 

been pending for more than 90 days, 

and you still need assistance, you may 

ask a question about your case online at 

egov.uscis.gov/e-request/Intro.do or call 

the USCIS Contact Center at 800–375– 

5283 (TTY 800–767–1833). 

Am I eligible to receive an automatic 

180-day extension of my current EAD 

through November 1, 2022, using this 

Federal Register notice? 

Yes. Regardless of your country of 

birth, provided that you currently have 

a South Sudan TPS-based EAD with an 

expiration date of September 17, 2021, 

on the face of the card, bearing the 

notation A–12 or C–19 under Category, 

this notice automatically extends your 

EAD through November 1, 2022. 

Although this Federal Register notice 

automatically extends your EAD 

through November 1, 2022, you must reregister timely for TPS in accordance 

with the procedures described in this 

Federal Register notice to maintain your 

TPS and employment authorization. 


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When hired, what documentation may I 

show to my employer as evidence of 

employment authorization and identity 

when completing Form I–9? 

You can find the Lists of Acceptable 

Documents on the third page of Form I– 

9 as well as the Acceptable Documents 

web page at https://www.uscis.gov/i-9- 

central/acceptable-documents. 

Employers must complete Form I–9 to 

verify the identity and employment 

authorization of all new employees. 

Within three days of hire, employees 

must present acceptable documents to 

their employers as evidence of identity 

and employment authorization to satisfy 

Form I–9 requirements. 

You may present any document from 

List A (which provides evidence of both 

identity and employment 

authorization), or one document from 

List B (which provides evidence of your 

identity) together with one document 

from List C (which provides evidence of 

employment authorization), or you may 

present an acceptable receipt for List A, 

List B, or List C documents as described 

in the Form I–9 instructions. Employers 

may not reject a document based on a 

future expiration date. You can find 

additional information about Form I–9 

on the I–9 Central web page at https:// 

www.uscis.gov/I-9Central. 

An EAD is an acceptable document 

under List A. See the section ‘‘How do 

my employer and I complete Form I–9 

using my automatically extended EAD 

for a new job?’’ of this Federal Register 

notice for further information. If your 

EAD has an expiration date of May 2, 

2022, and states A–12 or C–19 under 

Category, it has been extended 

automatically by virtue of this Federal 

Register notice and you may choose to 

present your EAD to your employer as 

proof of identity and employment 

eligibility for Form I–9 through 

November 1, 2022, unless your TPS has 

been withdrawn or your request for TPS 

has been denied. 

What documentation may I present to 

my employer for Form I–9 if I am 

already employed but my current TPSrelated EAD is set to expire? 

Even though we have automatically 

extended your EAD, your employer is 

required by law to ask you about your 

continued employment authorization. 

Your employer may need to re-inspect 

your automatically extended EAD to 

check the Card Expires date and 

Category code if your employer did not 

keep a copy of your EAD when you 

initially presented it. Once your 

employer has reviewed the Card 

Expiration date and Category code, your 

employer should update the EAD 

expiration date in Section 2 of Form I– 

9. See the section ‘‘What updates should 

my current employer make to Form I– 

9 if my EAD has been automatically 

extended?’’ of this Federal Register 

notice for further information. You may 

show this Federal Register notice to 

your employer to explain what to do for 

Form I–9 and to show that USCIS has 

automatically extended your EAD 

through November 1, 2022, but you are 

not required to do so. The last day of the 

automatic EAD extension is November 

1, 2022. Before you start work on 

November 2, 2022, your employer is 

required by law to reverify your 

employment authorization on Form I–9. 

By that time, you must present any 

document from List A or any document 

from List C on Form I–9 Lists of 

Acceptable Documents, or an acceptable 

List A or List C receipt described in the 

Form I–9 instructions to reverify 

employment authorization. 

Your employer may not specify which 

List A or List C document you must 

present and cannot reject an acceptable 

receipt. 

Can my employer require that I provide 

any other documentation to prove my 

status, such as proof of my South 

Sudanese citizenship or a Form I–797C 

showing I re-registered for TPS? 

No. When completing Form I–9, 

including reverifying employment 

authorization, employers must accept 

any documentation that appears on the 

Form I–9 Lists of Acceptable Documents 

that reasonably appears to be genuine 

and that relates to you, or an acceptable 

List A, List B, or List C receipt. 

Employers do not need to reverify List 

B identity documents. Therefore, 

employers may not request proof of 

South Sudanese citizenship or proof of 

re-registration for TPS when completing 

Form I–9 for new hires or reverifying 

the employment authorization of 

current employees. If you present an 

EAD that USCIS has automatically 

extended, employers should accept it as 

a valid List A document so long as the 

EAD reasonably appears to be genuine 

and relates to you. Refer to the Note to 

Employees section of this Federal 

Register notice for important 

information about your rights if your 

employer rejects lawful documentation, 

requires additional documentation, or 

otherwise discriminates against you 

based on your citizenship or 

immigration status, or your national 

origin. 

How do my employer and I complete 

Form I–9 using my automatically 

extended EAD for a new job? 

1. When using an automatically 

extended EAD to complete Form I–9 for 

a new job before November 2, 2022, for 

Section 1, you should: 

a. Check ‘‘An alien authorized to work 

until’’ and enter November 1, 2022, as 

the ‘‘expiration date’’; and 

b. Enter your Alien Number/USCIS 

number or A-Number where indicated. 

(Your EAD or other document from DHS 

will have your USCIS number or ANumber printed on it; the USCIS 

number is the same as your A-Number 

without the A prefix.) 

2. For Section 2, employers should: 

a. Determine if the EAD is autoextended by ensuring it is in category 

A–12 or C–19 and has a Card Expires 

date of May 2, 2022; 

b. Write in the document title; 

c. Enter the issuing authority; 

d. Provide the document number; and 

e. Write November 1, 2022, as the 

expiration date. 

Before the start of work on November 

2, 2022, employers must reverify the 

employee’s employment authorization 

on Form I–9. 

What updates should my current 

employer make to Form I–9 if my EAD 

has been automatically extended? 

If you presented a TPS-related EAD 

that was valid when you first started 

your job and USCIS has now 

automatically extended your EAD, your 

employer may need to re-inspect your 

current EAD if they do not have a copy 

of the EAD on file. Your employer 

should determine if your EAD is 

automatically extended by ensuring that 

it contains Category A–12 or C–19 and 

has a Card Expires date of May 2, 2022, 

on the front of the card. 

If your employer determines that 

USCIS has automatically extended your 

EAD, your employer should update 

Section 2 of your previously completed 

Form I–9 as follows: 

1. Write EAD EXT and November 1, 

2022, as the last day of the automatic 

extension in the Additional Information 

field; and 

2. Initial and date the correction. 

Note: This is not considered a 

reverification. Employers do not reverify the 

employee until either the 180-day automatic 

extension has ended, or the employee 

presents a new document to show continued 

employment authorization, whichever is 

sooner. By November 2, 2022, when the 

employee’s automatically extended EAD has 

expired, employers are required by law to 

reverify the employee’s employment 

authorization on Form I–9. 


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If I am an employer enrolled in E-Verify, 

how do I verify a new employee whose 

EAD has been automatically extended? 

Employers may create a case in 

E-Verify for a new employee by entering 

the number from the Document Number 

field on Form I–9 into the document 

number field in E-Verify. Employers 

should enter November 1, 2022, as the 

expiration date for an EAD that has been 

extended under this Federal Register 

notice. 

If I am an employer enrolled in E-Verify, 

what do I do when I receive a ‘‘Work 

Authorization Documents Expiring’’ 

alert for an automatically extended 

EAD? 

E-Verify automated the verification 

process for TPS-related EADs that are 

automatically extended. If you have 

employees who provided a TPS-related 

EAD when they first started working for 

you, you will receive a ‘‘Work 

Authorization Documents Expiring’’ 

case alert when the auto-extension 

period for this EAD is about to expire. 

Before this employee starts work on 

November 2, 2022, you must reverify 

their employment authorization on 

Form I–9. Employers may not use EVerify for reverification. 

Note to All Employers 

Employers are reminded that the laws 

requiring proper employment eligibility 

verification and prohibiting unfair 

immigration-related employment 

practices remain in full force. This 

Federal Register notice does not 

supersede or in any way limit 

applicable employment verification 

rules and policy guidance, including 

those rules setting forth reverification 

requirements. For general questions 

about the employment eligibility 

verification process, employers may call 

USCIS at 888–464–4218 (TTY 877–875– 

6028) or email USCIS at I-9Central@

uscis.dhs.gov. USCIS accepts calls and 

emails in English and many other 

languages. For questions about avoiding 

discrimination during the employment 

eligibility verification process (Form I– 

9 and E-Verify), employers may call the 

U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights 

Division, Immigrant and Employee 

Rights Section (IER) Employer Hotline 

at 800–255–8155 (TTY 800–237–2515). 

IER offers language interpretation in 

numerous languages. Employers may 

also email IER at IER@usdoj.gov. 

Note to Employees 

For general questions about the 

employment eligibility verification 

process, employees may call USCIS at 

888–897–7781 (TTY 877–875–6028) or 

email USCIS at I-9Central@

uscis.dhs.gov. Calls are accepted in 

English, Spanish, and many other 

languages. Employees or applicants may 

also call the IER Worker Hotline at 800– 

255–7688 (TTY 800–237–2515) for 

information regarding employment 

discrimination based upon citizenship, 

immigration status, or national origin, 

including discrimination related to 

Form I–9 and E-Verify. The IER Worker 

Hotline provides language interpretation 

in numerous languages. 

To comply with the law, employers 

must accept any document or 

combination of documents from the 

Lists of Acceptable Documents if the 

documentation reasonably appears to be 

genuine and to relate to the employee, 

or an acceptable List A, List B, or List 

C receipt as described in the Form I–9 

Instructions. Employers may not require 

extra or additional documentation 

beyond what is required for Form I–9 

completion. Further, employers 

participating in E-Verify who receive an 

E-Verify case result of Tentative 

Nonconfirmation (TNC) must promptly 

inform employees of the TNC and give 

such employees an opportunity to 

contest the TNC. A TNC case result 

means that the information entered into 

E-Verify from an employee’s Form I–9 

differs from Federal or state government 

records. 

Employers may not terminate, 

suspend, delay training, withhold or 

lower pay, or take any adverse action 

against an employee because of the TNC 

while the case is still pending with EVerify. A Final Nonconfirmation (FNC) 

case result is received when E-Verify 

cannot verify an employee’s 

employment eligibility. An employer 

may terminate employment based on a 

case result of FNC. Work-authorized 

employees who receive an FNC may call 

USCIS for assistance at 888–897–7781 

(TTY 877–875–6028). For more 

information about E-Verify-related 

discrimination or to report an employer 

for discrimination in the E-Verify 

process based on citizenship, 

immigration status, or national origin, 

contact IER’s Worker Hotline at 800– 

255–7688 (TTY 800–237–2515). 

Additional information about proper 

nondiscriminatory Form I–9 and EVerify procedures is available on the 

IER website at https://www.justice.gov/ 

ier and on the USCIS and E-Verify 

websites at https://www.uscis.gov/i-9- 

central and https://www.e-verify.gov. 

Note Regarding Federal, State, and 

Local Government Agencies (Such as 

Departments of Motor Vehicles) 

For Federal purposes, TPS 

beneficiaries presenting an 

automatically extended EAD referenced 

in this Federal Register notice do not 

need to show any other document, such 

as an I–797C Notice of Action or this 

Federal Register notice, to prove that 

they qualify for this extension. 

However, while Federal Government 

agencies must follow the guidelines laid 

out by the Federal Government, state 

and local government agencies establish 

their own rules and guidelines when 

granting certain benefits. Each state may 

have different laws, requirements, and 

determinations about what documents 

you need to provide to prove eligibility 

for certain benefits. Whether you are 

applying for a Federal, state, or local 

government benefit, you may need to 

provide the government agency with 

documents that show you are a TPS 

beneficiary, show you are authorized to 

work based on TPS or other status, or 

that may be used by DHS to determine 

whether you have TPS or other 

immigration status. Examples of such 

documents are: 

• Your current EAD with a TPS 

category code of A–12 or C–19; 

• Your Form I–94, Arrival/Departure 

Record; 

• Your Form I–797, Notice of Action, 

reflecting approval of your Form I–765; 

or 

• Your Form I–797, the notice of 

approval, for a past or current Form I– 

821, if you received one from USCIS. 

Check with the government agency 

regarding which document(s) the agency 

will accept. Some benefit-granting 

agencies use USCIS’ Systematic Alien 

Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) 

program to confirm the current 

immigration status of applicants for 

public benefits. While SAVE can verify 

when an individual has TPS, each 

agency’s procedures govern whether 

they will accept an unexpired EAD, 

Form I–797, or Form I–94, Arrival/ 

Departure Record. If an agency accepts 

the type of TPS-related document you 

are presenting, such as an EAD, the 

agency should accept your 

automatically extended EAD, regardless 

of the country of birth listed on the 

EAD. It may assist the agency if you: 

a. Present the agency with a copy of 

the relevant Federal Register notice 

showing the extension of TPS-related 

documentation in addition to your 

recent TPS-related document with your 

A-number, USCIS number or Form I–94 

number; 

b. Explain that SAVE will be able to 

verify the continuation of your TPS 

using this information; and 

c. Ask the agency to initiate a SAVE 

query with your information and follow 

through with additional verification 

steps, if necessary, to get a final SAVE 

response verifying your TPS. 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 42 / Thursday, March 3, 2022 / Notices 12201 

You can also ask the agency to look 

for SAVE notices or contact SAVE if 

they have any questions about your 

immigration status or automatic 

extension of TPS-related 

documentation. In most cases, SAVE 

provides an automated electronic 

response to benefit-granting agencies 

within seconds, but, occasionally, 

verification can be delayed. You can 

check the status of your SAVE 

verification by using CaseCheck at 

save.uscis.gov/casecheck/. CaseCheck is 

a free service that lets you follow the 

progress of your SAVE verification case 

using your date of birth and one 

immigration identifier number (Anumber, USCIS number or Form I–94 

number) or Verification Case Number. If 

an agency has denied your application 

based solely or in part on a SAVE 

response, the agency must offer you the 

opportunity to appeal the decision in 

accordance with the agency’s 

procedures. If the agency has received 

and acted upon or will act upon a SAVE 

verification and you do not believe the 

SAVE response is correct, the SAVE 

website, www.uscis.gov/save, has 

detailed information on how to make 

corrections or update your immigration 

record, make an appointment, or submit 

a written request to correct records. 

[FR Doc. 2022–04573 Filed 3–2–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 9111–97–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLORM00000–L12200000.DF0000–223. 

HAG22–0009] 

Call for Nominations for the Western 

Oregon Resource Advisory Council 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of call for nominations. 

SUMMARY: The purpose of this notice is 

to request public nominations for the 

Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) 

Western Oregon Resource Advisory 

Council (RAC) to fill vacant positions 

and positions that will become vacant. 

The RAC provides advice and 

recommendations to the BLM on land 

use planning and management of the 

National System of Public Lands within 

its geographic area. 

DATES: The Medford District Office will 

accept public nominations until April 4, 

2022. 

ADDRESSES: Nominations and completed 

applications should be sent to Kyle 

Sullivan, Public Affairs Specialist, 

Medford District, 3040 Biddle Road, 

Medford, OR 97504; Attention: Western 

Oregon RAC Nominations; or emailed to 

ksullivan@blm.gov with the subject line 

‘‘Western Oregon RAC Nominations.’’ 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kyle 

Sullivan, Public Affairs Specialist, 

Medford District, telephone: (541) 618– 

2340; email: ksullivan@blm.gov. 

Individuals in the United States who are 

deaf, deafblind, hard of hearing, or have 

a speech disability may dial 711 (TTY, 

TDD, or TeleBraille) to access 

telecommunications relay services for 

contacting Mr. Sullivan. Individuals 

outside the United States should use the 

relay services offered within their 

country to make international calls to 

the point-of-contact in the U.S. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The 

Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act (FLPMA) directs the Secretary of the 

Interior to involve the public in 

planning and issues related to 

management of lands administered by 

the BLM, through the establishment of 

10- to 15-member citizen-based advisory 

councils that are managed in accordance 

with the Federal Advisory Committee 

Act (FACA). As required by FACA, RAC 

membership must be balanced and 

representative of the various interests 

concerned with the management of the 

public lands. The rules governing RACs 

are found at 43 CFR subpart 1784. 

The RAC is seeking nominations in 

the following categories: 

Category One—Holders of Federal 

grazing permits or leases within the area 

for which the RAC is organized; 

represent interests associated with 

transportation or rights-of-way; 

represent developed outdoor recreation, 

off-highway vehicle users, or 

commercial recreation activities; 

represent the commercial timber 

industry; or represent energy and 

mineral development. 

Category Two—Representatives of 

nationally or regionally recognized 

environmental organizations; dispersed 

recreational activities; archaeological 

and historical interests; or nationally or 

regionally recognized wild horse and 

burro interest groups. 

Category Three—Hold State, county, 

or local elected office; are employed by 

a State agency responsible for the 

management of natural resources, land, 

or water; represent Indian tribes within 

or adjacent to the area for which the 

RAC is organized; are employed as 

academicians in natural resource 

management or the natural sciences; or 

represent the affected public at large. 

Individuals may nominate themselves 

or others. If you have already applied in 

2020 or 2021, your nomination is still 

being considered and you do not need 

to reapply. Nominees must be residents 

of the State of Oregon. The BLM will 

evaluate nominees based on their 

education, training, experience, and 

knowledge of the geographic area of the 

RAC. Nominees should demonstrate a 

commitment to collaborative resource 

decision-making. 

The following must accompany all 

nominations: 

—A completed RAC application, which 

can either be obtained through your 

local BLM office or online at: https:// 

www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/ 

1120-019_0.pdf. 

—Letters of reference from represented 

interests or organizations; and 

—Any other information that addresses 

the nominee’s qualifications. 

Simultaneous with this notice, the 

BLM will issue a press release providing 

additional information for submitting 

nominations. 

(Authority: 43 CFR 1784.4–1) 

Elizabeth R. Burghard, 

Medford District Manager. 

[FR Doc. 2022–04428 Filed 3–2–22; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 4310–JB–P 

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Bureau of Land Management 

[LLCOS00000–L10200000.XX0000– 

223L1109AF] 

Northwest Resource Advisory Council 

Schedule of Quarterly Public Meetings, 

Colorado 

AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, 

Interior. 

ACTION: Notice of public meetings. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Federal Land Policy and Management 

Act of 1976 and the Federal Advisory 

Committee Act of 1972, the U.S. 

Department of the Interior, Bureau of 

Land Management (BLM) Colorado’s 

Northwest Resource Advisory Council 

(RAC) is announcing two public 

meetings. 

DATES: The Northwest RAC will meet in 

2022 as follows: 

• The RAC will host a field tour on 

May 25 and a virtual meeting on May 

26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

• The RAC will host a field tour on 

September 14 and a virtual meeting on 

September 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Both field tours will be held from 8 

a.m. to 4 p.m. All field tours and 

meetings are open to the public. 

ADDRESSES: 

• The May 25 field tour will 

commence at the Kremmling Field 


khammond on DSKJM1Z7X2PROD with NOTICES