The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today said a U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing the Trump administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants without any judicial review will harm families, destabilize communities, and place vulnerable individuals at risk.
The ruling clears the way for the administration to end TPS protections for approximately 350,000 Haitians and more than 6,000 Syrians who have been living and working legally in the United States. TPS was created by Congress to protect people from deportation to countries facing war, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions. Haitians first received TPS after the devastating 2010 earthquake, while Syrians were granted TPS in 2012 because of the civil war in their homeland.
Last year, CAIR welcomed a federal court order delaying the Trump administration’s termination of TPS for Syria and warned that forcing Syrians to return prematurely could expose them to danger and family separation.
In a statement, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said:
“Temporary Protected Status was established to ensure that people are not forced to return to countries facing extraordinary and dangerous conditions. Ending these protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitians and thousands of Syrians will tear families apart, disrupt workplaces and communities, and place vulnerable individuals at risk.
“Many TPS holders have lived in our nation for years, raised American children, built businesses, contributed to our economy, and become integral members of their communities. Policies that target these families for deportation because of their race and ethnicity are contrary to our nation’s values.
“Congress should pursue legislative solutions to make clear that courts do indeed have the authority to review TPS termination decisions, to recognize the contributions of TPS recipients, and to protect families from unnecessary hardship and separation.”
In a statement, CAIR San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA) Immigrants’ Rights Managing Attorney David Tarr said:
“In our work with immigrant communities, we see how much stability TPS can provide and how devastating it is when that stability is taken away. For Syrian and Haitian TPS holders, the impact is immediate. For other TPS communities, the message is deeply alarming: protections families have relied on for years can be stripped away without any opportunity for a neutral court to review the government’s decision.
“This ruling effectively gives the Executive Branch near-total discretion over TPS terminations, leaving families with little to no opportunity to challenge decisions that could send them back into danger.”
Washington, D.C., based CAIR previously called the administration’s decision to terminate TPS for Syrians “premature” and urged an extension of those protections until conditions allow for safe and sustainable returns.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR-SFBA Communications Manager Lorrie Adam, 408.498.5779, ladam@cair.com
