Democrats expressed outrage following Supreme Court decisions that granted the Trump administration victories in two significant immigration cases. The rulings allow the administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Haitian and Syrian migrants and enable the turning away of migrants who seek asylum after arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border.
One of the decisions impacts TPS, a status that allows migrants to remain in the United States with protection from deportation and the ability to obtain work authorization. Critics argue that ending TPS for individuals from countries like Haiti, which is facing a severe humanitarian crisis, is cruel and harmful.
"Today Trump’s loyalists in the Supreme Court have joined forces with him to deny immigrants internationally recognized human rights and advance an authoritarian white supremacist agenda," stated Rep. Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.). She called for increased public mobilization and action in Congress to counter the ruling.
Another ruling permits the government to deny asylum to individuals who do not present themselves at a port of entry or seek asylum in a transit country. This decision, according to opponents, undermines established asylum processes.
In response to the rulings, some Democrats renewed calls for significant changes to the court. "The far-right MAGA majority on the Court cannot stand," wrote Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) on X. "We need to win back the House and the Senate and expand the Court." Similar sentiments were echoed by other lawmakers, with some advocating for court reform to protect immigrant rights.
The justices, in their majority opinions, stated they were acting based on the statutes enacted by Congress. Regarding TPS, the court focused on a statutory provision that limits judicial review of decisions to terminate TPS designations.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul criticized the decision concerning Haitian migrants, stating, "Haiti is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe. This decision betrays families who followed the law, built lives here, and sought refuge from unimaginable violence."
Several Democrats, including Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.), characterized the court's actions as a betrayal of national values and likened the Supreme Court to a "rubber stamp" for the administration. The decisions come as the Supreme Court is expected to release several more significant opinions before the end of its term.