US Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has told migrants with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to either apply for permanent residence or leave the country. His remarks follow a Supreme Court decision that strips humanitarian protections from hundreds of thousands of immigrants, potentially allowing the Trump administration to deport Haitian and Syrian nationals to countries plagued by conflict and poverty.
Mullin's Statement on CNN
In an interview on CNN's State of the Union, Mullin stated: "Either try to fill out the paperwork and be here underneath a permanent status or we'll help you get back to your country." He added that the administration would provide a plane ticket and approximately $2,100 to help individuals re-establish themselves upon return. "Temporary protective status, according to the courts and in its name itself, is not permanent status," Mullin said.
Supreme Court Ruling and Its Impact
Last week's Supreme Court decision affects an estimated 350,000 Haitian and 6,000 Syrian immigrants who now face detention or deportation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as protections end. The ruling allows the administration to end TPS for these groups, despite ongoing dangers in their home countries. The State Department currently warns against travel to Haiti and Syria due to widespread violence, crime, terrorism, and kidnapping.
Haitian TPS holders and advocates have condemned the ruling, warning it will disrupt thousands of lives. Franky Pierre, a Haitian immigrant who arrived in the US during the 1991 coup, told the Guardian: "For Springfield, it's going to hurt. When I came here, this area was dead. In this plaza, there are [now] seven Haitian businesses." He added: "All of these people are going to have to run away or go somewhere, which I'm pretty sure is going to start tonight."
Political Reactions
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a Republican, called the ruling a "mistake." He stated: "The situation in Haiti could hardly be much worse. The violent gangs run most of the country. The government barely functions. And the economy is in shambles." Other Republican congressmen, including Mike Lawler of New York and Don Bacon of Nebraska, have also criticized the decision and called for TPS extensions for Haitian immigrants.
During the 2024 election, former President Donald Trump falsely accused Haitians in Springfield, Ohio, of eating pets, leading to bomb threats and white supremacist marches. The Supreme Court's conservative majority ruled that the plaintiffs were unlikely to succeed in arguing racial bias.
Broader Context
Currently, 1.7 million people from 17 countries hold TPS. Immigration advocates worry the Trump administration could target TPS for other groups, effectively ending the program established in 1990. Federal law allows the administration to grant temporary legal residency to those fleeing war, disaster, or other extraordinary conditions.
