Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell called on April 29 for the Supreme Court of the United States to maintain Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for Haiti and Syria, as arguments begin regarding the Department of Homeland Security’s termination of these protections.
Campbell said that TPS holders are essential members of Massachusetts communities and play a significant role in sectors such as health care and elder care. “TPS holders are vital to Massachusetts communities and our workforce, especially in our health care and elder care industries,” said Campbell. “I urge the Supreme Court to uphold TPS designations for Haiti and Syria and reject the Trump Administration’s attempts to separate families and send our residents back into dangerous conditions. My office will continue to use every legal tool available to protect our immigrant communities and challenge unlawful actions brought by the federal administration.”
The issue matters because TPS allows individuals from designated countries facing armed conflict or natural disasters to remain in the United States temporarily, supporting both their families’ safety and local economies.
Since the beginning of President Trump’s second term, Campbell has filed several amicus briefs supporting continued TPS protections for Haitians, Syrians, and other groups. In two cases currently before the Supreme Court—Trump v. Miot and Mullin v. Doe—Campbell has advocated maintaining these protections through multiple court filings.
On September 3, 2025, Campbell co-led a coalition of attorneys general filing an amicus brief in U.S. District Court challenging efforts to end Haiti’s TPS designation. She later celebrated a February 2, 2026 court decision pausing this termination just before it was set to expire. Further actions included opposing attempts by federal authorities in February at the appeals court level, filing again with other attorneys general at the Supreme Court emergency docket in March against lifting lower court orders preserving Haitian TPS status during ongoing litigation, then submitting another brief on April 13 urging affirmation of those temporary blocks affecting both Haiti and Syria.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court acts as the final authority on state law within Massachusetts courts according to its official website. It is recognized as the oldest continuously functioning appellate court in the Western Hemisphere according to its official website, operates within Commonwealth jurisdiction according to its official website, contributes through educational outreach about judicial processes according to its official website, oversees regulation of legal practice while promoting public access according to its official website, and provides advisory opinions on key legal issues when requested by state leaders according to its official website.
Looking ahead, Campbell reaffirmed her commitment: “My office will continue to use every legal tool available to protect our immigrant communities and challenge unlawful actions brought by the federal administration.”
