During a protest at Sudan's Washington D.C. embassy on April 27, 2009, five Democratic members of congress were arrested for crossing a police line. They included John Lewis, the civil rights movement veteran, and Keith Ellison, the House's sole Muslim representative, as well as Jim McGovern, Lynn Woolsey and Donna Edwards. The congressmen were protesting the forced removal of 16 nongovernmental aid organizations from the ravaged region.Los Angeles Times: Congress members arrested in Darfur protest (April 27, 2009)

The International Criminal Court charged Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, with 10 war crimes, including genocide, on July 14, 2008.

On January 5, 2009, George W. Bush said he is sending emergency aid to the region. The aid included vehicles and equipment to assist the international peace-keeping mission. Direct involvement by American military is not an option in Darfur because experts have said it would worsen the situation, according to Stephen Hadley, Bush's national security adviser.The New York Times: U.S. Sending Emergency Aid to Darfur (January 5, 2009)

The U.N. and the African Union were negotiating with rebel leaders in Darfur and abroad in November and December 2008. Negotiations continued in January of 2009. A meeting in Qatar between rebels and Khartoum officials in January 2009 was postponed after some rebel leaders said they would not attend.Las Vegas Sun: Darfur peace push slowed by splits among rebels (January 5, 2009)