Attorney General Kwame Raoul has joined a coalition of 16 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief to defend Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian and Venezuelan immigrants. The brief, submitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, urges the court to uphold a lower court’s decision that found the termination of TPS unlawful.
“Haitians and Venezuelans who hold TPS designations have fled conflicts and environmental disasters in their home countries,” Raoul said. “I am the proud son of Haitian immigrants, and I know firsthand that Haitians and Venezuelans make key contributions to their communities and our state and national economies. Temporary Protected Status helps these immigrants work toward a better life for their families while also contributing to the nation’s workforce.”
The coalition’s action comes after the Trump administration attempted to end TPS protections for Haitian and Venezuelan immigrants soon after extensions were granted by the Biden administration. According to Raoul’s office, this move could result in confusion for hundreds of thousands who have sought refuge from violence, oppression, or poverty.
In their brief, Raoul and his colleagues argue that the United States District Court for the Northern District of California was correct in ruling that ending TPS was arbitrary, capricious, and contrary to law.
The attorneys general highlight that revoking TPS would put many U.S. citizens at risk of family separation. In 2022, about 54,000 U.S. citizen children and 80,000 adults lived with a Venezuelan TPS holder; approximately 87,000 children and 116,000 adults lived with a Haitian TPS holder. Without TPS protections, many would lose work authorization needed to support their families.
The economic impact is also significant: nationwide estimates show Venezuelan TPS holders contribute over $11 billion annually to the economy while Haitian holders add $4.4 billion each year.
Attorneys general from California, Colorado, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington joined Attorney General Raoul in filing this brief.
