The U.S. Supreme Court considered the Trump administration’s appeal over attempts to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for migrants from Haiti and Syria, a case that could affect as many as 1.3 million people from 17 countries if the government prevails. Several conservative justices appeared sympathetic to the administration’s argument that the law bars judicial review of the homeland security secretary’s decisions to end TPS, while Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett could be decisive. The government asked the court to overturn lower-court orders that blocked quick terminations; opponents contend the Department of Homeland Security bypassed required legal procedures when ending protections.

Stakes and context

TPS was first granted for Syrians in 2012 amid civil war and for Haitians after the 2010 earthquake; many beneficiaries have lived and worked in the U.S. for years. Since President Trump returned to office in January 2025, DHS has ended TPS for people from 13 countries, prompting reports of rapid job and housing loss and, in some cases, deportations with deadly consequences cited in court filings. Plaintiffs and advocacy groups warn that returning to Haiti or Syria is impossible for many because of violence and instability; the case is one of several major immigration disputes before the court this term, including challenges to birthright citizenship and new asylum restrictions, as reported by AP News

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