Supreme Court Allows Trump to End TPS for Haitians, Syrians

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 25, 2026 that the Trump administration can end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 356,100 immigrants from Haiti and Syria, paving the way for mass deportations. In a 6-3 decision along ideological lines, the court's conservative majority ruled that President Trump has virtually unrestrained power to terminate TPS.

The ruling affects more than 350,000 Haitian immigrants and about 6,100 Syrian immigrants who have been living and working legally in the United States for years. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designates which foreign countries qualify for TPS based on conditions such as natural disasters or armed conflicts.

Critics denounced the court ruling as advancing a white supremacist agenda, with Todd Schulte from FWD.us calling it 'not just cruel; it is economic self-sabotage that will rip billions out of the U.S. economy and destabilize communities nationwide' according to NPR. The NAACP condemned the ruling, calling it racist. Derrick Johnson, president and CEO of the NAACP, stated that 'This ruling is a devastating betrayal of Haitian families who have lived, worked, and contributed to this country for years - only to be cast out based on anti-Black immigration sentiment.' According to UPI, Trump said during his campaign that Haitian immigrants were eating people's pets.

The decision is part of Trump's broader rollback of legal and illegal immigration since returning to office in January 2025. The ruling also has implications for TPS holders from other countries, including El Salvador, Lebanon, Sudan, and Ukraine, which may lose their status when it comes up for renewal this fall according to CBS News. The court's decision bars judicial review of the administration's actions regarding TPS, effectively ending legal challenges to the program. This ruling is seen as a significant victory for Trump's hardline approach toward immigration.

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said on CNN that migrants with TPS should seek permanent residence or leave, offering $2,100 and plane tickets to help them return home. He stated, 'Either try to fill out the paperwork and be here underneath a permanent status or we'll help you get back to your country,' according to The Guardian and Reuters. The State Department warns against traveling to Haiti or Syria due to widespread violence, crime, terrorism, and kidnapping.

Some Republicans have criticized the ruling. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called it a 'mistake,' citing unsafe conditions in Haiti and the economic impact on Ohio's healthcare industry. He stated that removing Haitian workers would hurt the economy and leave healthcare short-staffed as reported by The Guardian. Other Republican congressmen, including Mike Lawler of New York and Don Bacon of Nebraska, have also criticized the ruling and argued for TPS extensions for Haitian immigrants.

In Springfield, Ohio, Haitian residents expressed despair about the effects of ending TPS protections. Franky Pierre, a Haitian immigrant who came to the U.S. during the 1991 military coup in Haiti, said that all these people are going to have to run away or go somewhere as reported by The Guardian. The presence of Haitians has helped spur economic revival in some Ohio areas, boosting wages and job creation according to a report from Reuters.

Immigration advocates worry that the Trump administration could target TPS for other immigrants, effectively ending the 1990 program. In total, 1.7 million people from 17 countries have temporary protected status as reported by The Guardian and PBS. The Supreme Court also ruled that the Trump administration can turn away asylum seekers at the southern border with Mexico if they have not yet set foot on U.S. soil.

Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the majority opinion that a foreigner who 'arrives in the United States' may apply for asylum and must be inspected by a federal immigration official, but an alien standing in Mexico does not 'arriv[e] in the United States.' The 6-3 ruling broke down along ideological lines, with the court’s six conservative justices ruling in favor and the three liberal justices dissenting.

Justice Elena Kagan included President Donald Trump's controversial remarks about Haitians in her dissenting opinion. Kagan quoted Trump directly, noting remarks the conservative majority found too 'repellent' to include in their opinion. Trump was quoted as saying: 'Haitians probably have AIDS,' 'Haiti is a shithole country,' and 'Haitian immigration is like a death wish for our country.'

Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the majority opinion that none of Trump's or former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s statements were 'overtly racial' and did not necessarily reflect racial bias.