The US Supreme Court has allowed the Trump administration to end deportation protections for more than 350,000 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians living in the United States.
In a 6-3 ruling, the Supreme Court overturned lower court decisions that had blocked the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This ruling empowers Trump's hardline immigration approach.
TPS allows migrants from countries embroiled in crisis to live and work in the US. Previously, TPS was granted to Haitians post-2010 earthquake and to Syrians amidst their civil war starting in 2012.
Justice Samuel Alito wrote that courts cannot review administration decisions regarding TPS revocation, which could limit future legal challenges. He also noted that claims of racial bias against Haitian TPS holders were likely to fail.
Accompanying this decision, the court reaffirmed the Trump administration's authority to manage asylum seeker processes at the US-Mexico border.
The case underscores ongoing debates over executive power in immigration policy, directly impacting 1.3 million immigrants from the 17 nations currently designated for TPS. Advocacy groups expressed grave concerns over the ruling's implications for families who may face dangerous situations upon return to their home countries.