Supreme Court allows Trump to end protected status for Haitian and Syrian immigrants

The Supreme Court has ruled that the Trump administration can terminate Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants currently living in the United States. In a 6-3 decision, the Court overturned lower court rulings that had blocked the administration’s efforts to end these protections.

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a humanitarian program that allows individuals from countries experiencing war, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions to live and work legally in the United States. The program was first extended to Haitians following the devastating 2010 earthquake and to Syrians after their country descended into civil war in 2012.

In a related ruling, the Court also determined that migrants seeking asylum must be physically present on U.S. soil to apply for asylum, effectively reinstating a policy known as “metering” that was initially implemented during the Obama administration and later rescinded under President Biden.

Justice Samuel Alito, writing for the majority, argued that the law governing TPS explicitly prevents courts from reviewing government decisions to terminate the program. The three liberal justices dissented, with Justice Elena Kagan arguing that the decision was motivated by racial discrimination against Haitian immigrants.

Human rights organizations warn that ending these protections will result in family separarate families, harm local economies, and force vulnerable people to return to countries facing ongoing violence, instability, and humanitarian crises.