Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., has voiced strong disagreement with the Supreme Court's recent decision in Mullin v. Doe, asserting that ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian nationals at this time could trigger a significant crisis within the U.S. healthcare system. The Supreme Court's ruling affirmed the executive branch's authority to terminate TPS designations without immediate judicial review, a decision supported by the Trump administration's legal team.
Lawler, while acknowledging the president's authority to end TPS, stated on the platform X that the current situation in Haiti does not warrant such a termination. He pointed to the U.S. State Department's level 4 travel advisory, urging Americans to evacuate Haiti due to pervasive gang violence and trafficking. "The gangs are in charge of the country, engaged in gun and drug trafficking, and kidnapping innocent Haitians," Lawler wrote.
He highlighted the substantial number of Haitian TPS holders employed in the U.S. healthcare sector. "Of the 350,000+ lawful Haitian TPS holders, roughly 1/3rd work in our healthcare system. Immediately shutting off TPS will create a crisis in our hospitals, nursing homes, and in the I/DD community," Lawler stated. This indicates that approximately 116,000 individuals in critical healthcare roles could be affected.
Lawler urged the Trump administration to consider an orderly process for Haitian TPS holders, allowing them to maintain work authorization for six months while their immigration cases are adjudicated, should the revocation proceed. He also proposed that the Senate consider his and Congresswoman Gillen's legislation to temporarily extend Haitian TPS.
The Trump administration initially moved to revoke TPS for Haitians, a status granted after the 2010 earthquake, in 2017. Federal court challenges prevented this termination throughout Trump's term. In 2025, the Department of Homeland Security officially ended the status, a decision now bolstered by the Supreme Court's 6-3 ruling. The court determined that federal courts lack jurisdiction to review executive decisions regarding TPS terminations.
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson called the ruling a "tremendous win for the Trump Administration," emphasizing that TPS is intended to be temporary and not a path to permanent residency. James Percival, general counsel for DHS, echoed this sentiment, stating, "The T in TPS stands for TEMPORARY, yet many of these designations became de facto amnesty. This is a win for the rule of law and common sense."