Attorney General Bonta Urges Supreme Court to Preserve Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians

OAKLAND -California Attorney General Rob Bonta today co-led a coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of a challenge to the termination of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Haitians and Syrians. TPS is a critical humanitarian program established by Congress in 1990 that allows nationals of designated countries to remain in the United States due to ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or extraordinary and temporary conditions in their home countries. In their amicus brief in Trump v. Miot and Mullin v. Doe, the attorneys general urge the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm the postponement of TPS terminations for Haitians and Syrians, as they would cause immediate and irreparable harm by upending the lives of tens of thousands of lawfully present immigrants, tearing apart families and communities, and depriving states of vital economic and social benefits, including impacts on the workforce, public revenues, public health, and public safety.

"From the outset of the Trump Administration, lawful immigrants have been targeted in ways that defy our nation's values and weaken our communities. California is stronger because we welcome immigrants who come here seeking safety and opportunity, work hard, follow the law, and build roots over many years," said Attorney General Bonta. "We will not stand idly by as our neighbors and colleagues are ripped from their families and forced to return to countries that are still dangerous. I respectfully urge the Supreme Court to preserve these lawful immigration pathways that support hardworking and lawful TPS recipients."

The Trump Administration attempted to abruptly terminate TPS for Haitians and Syrians in November 2025, without any evidence that the dangerous conditions in the countries had improved and despite the fact that the U.S. State Department continues to classify both nations as "Level 4: Do Not Travel" countries - it's highest risk designation. In the amicus brief, the coalition urges the U.S. Supreme Court to prevent the Trump Administration's terminations from going into effect, arguing that the termination of Haitian and Syrian TPS is unlawful and will:

• Result in irreparable harm to families by stripping members of work authorization, exposing them to the threat of deportation, and causing many, including countless U.S. citizen children, to suffer trauma and hardship from unnecessary forced separation.
• Harm states' economies and workforces, which are enriched by the employment, entrepreneurship, and contributions of Haitian and Syrian TPS-holders.
• Raise healthcare costs and pose substantial risks to public health.
• Impede states' ability to enforce criminal codes and protect public safety because Haitian and Syrian TPS holders would be less likely to report crime.

Attorney General Bonta is committed to upholding the rights and protections of all Californians, including the nearly 11 million immigrants who call California home. In February 2026, Attorney General Bonta co-led an amicus brief opposing the Trump Administration's termination of TPS for Haitians. He has repeatedly supported challenges to the terminations of TPS for Haitians and Venezuelans, and defended pathways for legal immigration for those fleeing dangerous conditions in their home countries. Attorney General Bonta has secured permanent injunctions blocking the Trump Administration's attempts to illegally condition homeland security and transportation funding on state participation in immigration enforcement. And he has temporarily blocked the Trump Administration's efforts to impose cruel new restrictions on access to public benefit programs based on immigration status while litigation continues.

Attorney General Bonta co-led the filing of today's brief along with the Attorneys General of Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York. They are joined by the attorneys general of Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai'i, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.