Padilla Joins Markey, Van Hollen, Bicameral Colleagues in Filing Amicus Brief Challenging Trump Administration’s Unlawful Termination of TPS

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, U.S. Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Immigration Subcommittee, joined Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), and Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.-25), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.-07), and 182 other lawmakers infiling an amicus briefin the U.S. Supreme Court inTrump v. Miot, a consolidated case challenging the Trump Administration’s unlawful termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti and Syria.
In the brief, the lawmakers urged the Court to preserve TPS protections, emphasizing the bipartisan support for TPS and the immense public interest served by TPS holders in the United States. The brief also highlighted Congress intended to provide safe haven to protect those fleeing violence abroad when it created TPS and affirmed Congress’ desire to ensure an orderly determination process for these protections that is not based on the political whims of an administration.
“Donald Trump and his Administration’s multiple attempts to end TPS for Haiti and Syria are unlawful, plain and simple,”said Senator Padilla.“Federal Courts have ruled time and again in favor of preserving protections and we will continue to fight this Administration and urge the Supreme Court to uphold these decisions because anything short of that would jeopardize the safety and status of people seeking safety who are contributing to our communities and workforce across the United States.”
“The humanitarian crisis in Haiti is dire and worsening, and Haitian TPS holders are unable to return home safely,”said Senator Markey.“As Donald Trump unlawfully strips this community of critical legal protections, we must protect the individuals who came to our country seeking safe harbor. We must also protect all TPS holders, who are deeply rooted in Massachusetts and in communities across the country—they are our friends, our family members, our neighbors, and our colleagues. We must not turn our backs on them now.”
“For thousands of Haitians and Syrians – many of whom have been living and working here legally for years after fleeing for their safety—being forced to leave the United States would put their lives and their livelihoods at grave risk. The Administration is asking the Supreme Court to disregard that danger, while also rubber-stamping the Administration’s effort to ignore Congressional intent around the TPS program as a whole—so they can terminate countries’ designations across the board to advance their mass deportation agenda. As this brief makes clear, the Supreme Court must stop this lawless Administration from carrying out politically motivated TPS cancellations—which will force countless people back to countries where it is unsafe to return,”said Senator Van Hollen.
In addition to Padilla, Markey, Van Hollen, Wasserman Schultz, and Pressley, the brief was also submitted by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Andy Kim (D-N.J.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
Full text of the brief is availablehere.
Last year, Padilla joined 90 other lawmakers infiling an amicus briefinMiot v. Trumpwhen the case was before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
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