New York Attorney General Letitia James has strongly criticized the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision allowing the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants, describing the ruling as “a betrayal of our values” and of America’s longstanding humanitarian commitments.
In a statement released following the Court’s 6-3 decision, James said TPS was created to protect individuals fleeing armed conflict, political instability, and humanitarian crises, noting that many Haitian and Syrian families have established successful lives in New York and across the United States.
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“This ruling is a betrayal of our values and of the promise our country made to protect people from displacement, repression, and harm,” James said. “Hundreds of thousands of TPS holders have built families, careers, businesses, and communities here in the United States. They are our neighbors, coworkers, classmates, and loved ones, and they deserve more than to have their lives thrown into chaos by a cruel and reckless administration.”
The Supreme Court’s ruling permits the federal government to move forward with terminating TPS protections for more than 350,000 Haitians and approximately 6,000 Syrians, potentially exposing them to deportation while legal challenges continue.
James noted that her office had led multiple amicus briefs opposing the administration’s efforts to end the humanitarian protections, including filings before the Supreme Court. She pledged that New York would continue advocating for immigrant communities affected by the decision.
“My office will continue to stand with immigrant communities and fight for the people who came to this country seeking safety and helped build our state and nation in return,” she said.
The ruling has drawn widespread criticism from New York officials, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, all of whom have vowed to pursue legal or legislative avenues to protect TPS recipients and support affected immigrant communities.
