The Supreme Court ruled today that the Trump Administration may abruptly strip more than 350,000 people from Haiti and Syria of their Temporary Protected Status, or TPS. The justices’ shameful 6-3 decision effectively destroys the decades-old humanitarian program that has allowed migrants from troubled countries to lawfully live and work in the United States.
The following is a statement from Jose Palma of the National TPS Alliance:
“Although not unexpected, this decision represents another obstacle in our journey toward equal rights in the United States. Like others we are reading the opinion and consulting our lawyers. But two things are clear right now: First, this decision will harm communities and families in real and unnecessary ways. Second, we will not stop fighting for equal rights.”
The Supreme Court ruled that federal courts cannot review whether the Administration followed the law when it abruptly terminated TPS for more than 350,000 Haitians and Syrians. As a result, these TPS holders stand to lose their protections imminently. While the Court assumed constitutional claims may still be reviewed by the courts, it concluded that there was insufficient evidence to establish that the termination of Haiti’s TPS designation was motivated by racial discrimination. The ruling may also have implications for pending litigation challenging the termination of TPS for other countries, including Burma, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemen, which currently retain TPS pursuant to court orders.
The Supreme Court’s decision stems from two TPS cases involving Haiti and Syria that were argued before the Court on April 29, 2026. The cases challenged whether the Administration’s attempts to terminate TPS complied with the requirements established by Congress in the TPS statute. The Haiti case also raised serious constitutional concerns regarding whether the termination was motivated, at least in part, by racial discrimination. Although the cases were still in the early stages of litigation and had not yet received final decisions from the lower courts, the Administration asked the Supreme Court to intervene. Today’s ruling provides critical guidance on the ability of TPS holders to challenge unlawful terminations and the standards the government must follow when seeking to end humanitarian protections.
Statement from Jessica Bansal, TPS counsel with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network
“The Supreme Court’s decision allows the Trump administration to strip humanitarian protections from hundreds of thousands of immigrants, in blatant violation of laws enacted by Congress. It is now up to Congress and the people to prevent the impending tragedy.”
Jessica Bansal is counsel for plaintiffs in the U.S. Supreme Court proceedings in Mullin v. Doe, challenging the termination of TPS for Syria, and represents the National TPS Alliance in litigation challenging the termination of TPS for Haiti, Venezuela, Honduras, Nepal, and Nicaragua. She will be available to respond to inquiries following a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court.
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