Haitian immigrants wait in limbo as Supreme Court weighs ending Temporary Protected Status
The Trump administration is trying to end Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for immigrants from Haiti and Syria, a humanitarian program that allows people from countries facing war, natural disasters or other crises to remain in the U.S.
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The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday that could determine whether more than 350,000 Haitian immigrants can continue living and working legally in the United States.
The Trump administration is trying to end Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for immigrants from Haiti and Syria, a humanitarian program that allows people from countries facing war, natural disasters or other crises to remain in the U.S.
The Solicitor General argued the program was always meant to be temporary.
Lawyers representing Haitian and Syrian immigrants pushed back, arguing the decision was racially motivated.
At the heart of the case is whether the court is allowed to review how the government reached its decision, or if it can only consider the final outcome, and whether former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noam properly evaluated conditions in a country before ending protections.
During arguments, liberal justices raised concerns about whether proper procedures were followed and whether racial bias played a role.
Justices also pressed the government over past derogatory comments by President Donald Trump about immigrants from Haiti.
The legal fight comes after a federal judge blocked the administration from ending TPS for Haitians in February, citing concerns about how the decision was made.
Haiti continues to face political instability, with rampant violence and powerful gangs controlling parts of the country.
For many Haitian immigrants in Brooklyn, the ongoing legal battle is leaving them in limbo.
The Supreme Court is expected to issue a decision by late June or early July.
