New York Attorney General Letitia James co-led a coalition of 18 state attorneys general in filing an amicus brief opposing the Trump administration’s efforts to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian immigrants.
Filed in Haitian Evangelical Clergy Association v. Donald J. Trump, the brief argues that eliminating TPS would expose Haitian immigrants to danger, separate families, and harm local economies. The coalition is urging the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to block the move and maintain protections for thousands of Haitian nationals, including more than 5,400 TPS holders residing in New York City.
“Revoking Haitians’ legal immigration status that has kept them safe with their families in the U.S. is cruel and dangerous,” James said in a statement. “Haitian immigrants have contributed immensely to our communities, neighborhoods, and local economies, and without them New York and this nation would not be the same.”
TPS is a federal program that allows immigrants from countries experiencing armed conflict, environmental disasters or other unsafe conditions to remain temporarily in the United States. Haitian nationals became eligible for TPS following the 2010 earthquake that devastated the country. Despite ongoing instability in Haiti, the Trump administration sought to end those protections, prompting legal challenges across the country.
The attorneys general argue the administration failed to account for the current conditions in Haiti. They warn that the terminations would force difficult decisions for families, including whether to leave U.S.-born children behind, bring them to a country unfamiliar and unstable, or remain in the U.S. without legal protections.
The brief highlights economic contributions made by TPS holders in New York. According to the Office of the Attorney General, there are approximately 56,800 TPS holders in the state, who earned $2.3 billion in 2023. These households paid nearly $349 million in federal taxes and over $305 million in state and local taxes, contributing $1.6 billion in spending power.
The coalition also emphasized that many Haitian TPS holders work in essential sectors such as healthcare, education, and construction, and are business owners and homeowners. Ending TPS, they argue, would not only destabilize families but also strain state resources.
James has been active in litigation defending immigrant protections. Last month, she co-led a group of attorneys general opposing efforts to end TPS for both Haitian and Venezuelan nationals. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California cited the coalition’s legal brief in granting relief to Venezuelan TPS holders in a separate case.
Attorneys general from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia joined the brief.
