WASHINGTON — More than 180 Democratic lawmakers, led by Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), along with Sens. Ed Markey (D-MA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court this week urging the preservation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants from countries facing armed conflict or environmental disasters. The brief supports ongoing legal challenges to the Trump-era attempts to terminate TPS designations for several nations.
TPS, established in 1990, grants temporary legal status to nationals of countries deemed unsafe due to war, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions. The program currently covers over 400,000 individuals from countries including Haiti, El Salvador, and Honduras. The Biden administration has largely maintained these protections, but legal battles continue over their long-term future.
“This brief reflects a broad consensus among Democrats that stripping TPS would destabilize families and harm U.S. communities,” a congressional aide familiar with the filing told SourceRated. Analysts note the move signals growing Democratic unity on immigration ahead of the 2024 elections.
Opponents argue TPS has become a de facto permanent immigration pathway. “Congress never intended TPS to last decades,” said Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies, a group favoring stricter limits. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on related cases in its next term.