Supreme Court rules courts cannot review Trump administration's termination of TPS for Haiti and Syria
In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court held that temporary protected status designations are not subject to judicial review, allowing the Trump administration to end TPS for Haitian and Syrian nationals.
The U.S. Supreme Court issued two 6-3 rulings that effectively allow the Trump administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Haiti and Syria. Justice Samuel Alito authored the majority opinions, stating that the law expressly bars courts from reviewing the Secretary of Homeland Security’s TPS decisions. The Court also rejected claims that President Trump’s remarks about Haitians demonstrated racial bias, finding the statements could be interpreted as policy views with race-neutral justifications.
Justice Elena Kagan, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson, dissented, arguing that the administration’s actions were influenced by racial animus and that the decision would have severe humanitarian consequences. Sotomayor read her dissent aloud from the bench, a rare procedural move.
The rulings have immediate implications for more than 350,000 Haitian and Syrian TPS holders, who could lose legal work authorization and face deportation. Attorneys advising affected individuals warned that they should explore alternative immigration options promptly, as the process can be lengthy.
State officials, including Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, described the decision as harmful to local economies that rely on Haitian workers in sectors such as hospitality and elder care. Business leaders also warned of staffing shortages in nursing homes and hotels.
The White House hailed the decisions as a "tremendous win" for the administration’s immigration agenda, noting that the rulings affirm the temporary nature of TPS and clear the way for potential reinstatement of the "metering" policy that limits asylum seekers at the southern border.
The Court is expected to release additional opinions later in the week, but the TPS rulings mark a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy, potentially affecting over one million individuals who currently benefit from humanitarian relief programs.
