The Supreme Court’s ruling in Trump v. Miot and Mullin v. Doe has left approximately 1.3 million individuals who hold Temporary Protected Status (TPS) at risk of immediate deportation. TPS holders have built lives, families, and communities in the United States while contributing to our economy and civic life. Returning people to countries facing ongoing instability, violence, and humanitarian crises undermines our nation's commitment to human dignity and protection for the vulnerable.
In the wake of this devastating decision, Congress must pass a moratorium on the termination of TPS status, protect TPS holders from deportation, and work swiftly towards establishing pathways to permanent protections and legal status for these communities.
Background
An estimated 1.3 million individuals have been granted legal status and work authorization in the United States under Temporary Protected Status (TPS) because their home countries have been deemed unsafe to return to due to ongoing instability, violence, and humanitarian crises. Many TPS holders have lived in the U.S. for decades, building families and communities, as well as contributing about $29 billion annually to the U.S. economy and $7.8 billion in combined federal, payroll, state, and local taxes. TPS holders often live in mixed-status families with children and partners who are U.S. citizens that rely on them for support.
This Supreme Court decision decimated this program, now leaving TPS holders at imminent risk for detention and deportation, after having registered and followed the legal protocol. Congress must take immediate action to protect TPS holders from detention and deportation, and to deliver a pathway to permanent protections. We also call on Congress to urge Secretary Mullin to extend legal protections and mitigate the harm done to this community.
Jewish Values
No less than 36 times, the Torah instructs us on how to treat the ger, the foreigner among us. Our sacred text commands, “The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love them as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt (Leviticus 19:34).” Guided by this repeated call to love the stranger, we are committed to fixing our fractured immigration system and fighting for just, compassionate, and equitable immigration policies. Our faith and history also teach us to hold compassion for and protect those experiencing forced displacement, as our ancestors faced a similar plight. We read in Genesis that not only did Abraham allow three guests to enter his tent, but he also ran towards them, modeling the enthusiasm with which we should embrace those seeking refuge (Genesis 18:1-5). The history of our people offers a painful reminder of the destructive and deadly consequences of inaction or denial of asylum to those in need. Our religious tradition and our history compel us to raise our voices on behalf of TPS recipients seeking extensions of their status.
For More Information
For more information on this issue, contact Eisendrath Legislative Assistant Liana Smolover-Bord at lsmolover-bord@rac.org.
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