Arabic version: المحكمة العليا تراجع وضع الحماية المؤقتة للهايتيين والسوريين، مما قد يؤثر على الملايين

The United States Supreme Court has begun to hear a case on whether the administration of President Donald Trump may strip the temporary legal status of hundreds of thousands of Haitians and Syrians living in the country. The hearing specifically concerns whether Trump may end “temporary protected status” (TPS) for citizens of the two countries, which is granted when it is deemed unsafe for individuals to return to their home countries. According to Al Jazeera, the ruling could impact over 1.3 million people from 17 countries currently living in the U.S. under TPS.

Last year, then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem rescinded TPS for Haiti and Syria, asserting that the status had been “abused and exploited” and claiming improvements in conditions in both countries. Critics argue that ongoing political, humanitarian and security crises in Haiti and persistent instability in Syria contradict this assertion. Legal challenges have emerged, with class action lawsuits alleging that the termination process did not adhere to proper legal protocols.

The Haitian lawsuit further alleges that the decision was influenced by racial bias, citing remarks made by Trump during his 2024 campaign that targeted Haitian immigrants. A recent ruling by U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes suggested that the administration’s actions may have been motivated by “racial animus,” a claim the Department of Homeland Security has dismissed as “lawless activism.”

In a notable political response, the U.S. House of Representatives in April passed a bill to extend TPS for Haitians through 2029, garnering bipartisan support. However, the Senate has not yet voted on the bill. The Supreme Court’s decision on this matter could have far-reaching consequences, potentially affecting not just those from Haiti and Syria but also countless others facing similar circumstances under the Trump administration’s immigration policies.