Press Release: 7/23/2026

AG Campbell Calls On Congress To Extend Haitian TPS As Lawmakers Return To Session

 

State, Local Leaders Join AG Multistate Coalition in Urging Congress to Protect Haitian Families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

7/22/2026

 

BOSTON — Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell today led a coalition of 20 attorneys general in urging Congress to take immediate action to protect Haitian Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders as lawmakers return to session.  

In a letter to congressional leaders, AG Campbell and the coalition called on Congress to pass An Act to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for temporary protected status (H.R. 1689/S.4814), which would extend TPS protections for Haiti. The coalition also asked Congress to pass legislation that would provide judicial oversight of TPS decisions and establish a pathway to permanent residency for TPS holders. 

"Forcing hundreds of thousands of people to return to Haiti – a country facing extraordinary violence, political instability, and a deep humanitarian crisis – would put lives at risk, separate families who have built their lives in America, and threaten communities and industries that rely on TPS holders,” said AG Campbell. “Congress must act now to extend TPS for Haiti and ensure there is meaningful oversight of TPS decisions. TPS holders deserve stability, fairness, and due process, not cruelty and uncertainty driven by shifting political agendas.” 

The coalition’s letter comes as Congress returns to session following the Supreme Court’s decision in Mullin v. Doe, which terminated TPS for Haitians and Syrians while laying the groundwork for the revocation of TPS protections for other countries without any form of judicial oversight or review. The court’s decision has created uncertainty for more than one million TPS holders nationwide and could have devastating humanitarian and economic impacts on these individuals and families who lawfully live and work in the United States. 

In their letter, AG Campbell and the coalition argue that the termination of TPS for Haiti will have immediate repercussions, not only for Haitian TPS holders, but also on the economies of both the nation and individual states. These economies are dependent on Haitian workers. The 350,000 Haitian TPS holders across the country contribute $5.9 billion to the U.S. economy annually and pay approximately $1.6 billion in taxes. 

In Massachusetts, there are approximately 45,000 individuals with Haitian TPS protections, thousands of whom work in the healthcare industry as medical technicians, orderlies, and caretakers for the elderly and disabled. The Massachusetts Senior Care Association alone has estimated that up to 2,000 of their workers may lose work authorization due to the Supreme Court decision. 

The coalition also underscores the severe humanitarian conditions in Haiti, where TPS was first designated in 2010 following a devastating earthquake that killed more than 220,000 people and displaced more than 1.5 million people. Since then, additional crises – including a cholera outbreak, Hurricane Matthew, political instability, escalating gang violence, civil unrest, and poverty – have only exacerbated unsafe conditions in Haiti. The U.S. State Department currently maintains a “Level 4 Do Not Travel” warning for Haiti “due to the risk of crime, kidnapping, terrorism, unrest, and limited health care.” 

The coalition asks Congress to take immediate action to institute protections for Haitian TPS holders, including by passing An Act to require the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for temporary protected status (H.R. 1689/S.4814), which has already passed in the House of Representatives. They also ask Congress to pass legislation allowing for judicial oversight and pathways to permanent legal residency for TPS holders. Judicial oversight would provide a necessary check on potential abuse of executive branch power by allowing for the impartial review of TPS decisions, including by allowing courts to determine whether the statutory requirements for the removal of a country’s TPS designation were followed. 

Joining AG Campbell in sending this letter are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.

Statements of Support:  

Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass): “Temporary Protected Status holders are our neighbors, friends, loved ones, and huge drivers of our local economies. They deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. I am grateful to Attorney General Andrea Campbell, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, and the dedicated coalition of local officials, Haitian community leaders, and immigration advocates who have joined together in the fight to protect TPS. I have introduced Senate legislation to extend Haiti's TPS designation, and Congress must act now to fight the Trump administration’s efforts to put our neighbors in harm’s way.” 

Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley: “Protecting the safety, dignity, and humanity of our Haitian neighbors is the right thing to do, and our country is strengthened by their contributions to our communities, the economy, our healthcare workforce, and more," said Rep. Pressley. "Since my discharge petition to extend TPS for Haitians successfully passed the House, we’ve been pressing hard to advance this essential legislation and protect our Haitian neighbors. The Senate must pass the extension of Haiti TPS without delay." 

Governor Maura Healey: “Temporary Protected Status has allowed tens of thousands of Haitian families in Massachusetts to build their lives here, become our neighbors, and help keep Massachusetts moving every day. The conditions in Haiti remain extremely dangerous, and people should not be forced to return when it is not safe to do so. President Trump's decision to end these protections would tear families apart while creating serious challenges for Massachusetts employers, our healthcare system and our economy. I am grateful for Attorney General Campbell's leadership in standing up for Haitian families and challenging this decision in court. Congress must act to restore these protections and provide these families with the certainty and stability they deserve.” 

Governor’s Councillor Tamisha Civil: “The fight for Haitian TPS is not about politics, it's about people. We all bleed the same blood, and every person deserves the chance to live in safety and dignity.” 

Councilor At-Large Ruthzee Louijeune, Boston City Council: “The decision to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians will have devastating consequences for families, employers, and communities across Boston and the nation. Haiti continues to face extraordinary political instability, violence, and humanitarian crises that make it unsafe for people to return. Congress must act now to extend TPS protections, ensure meaningful judicial oversight of these decisions, and create a pathway to permanent residency for those who have built their lives, raised their families, and strengthened our communities. Our neighbors deserve certainty, dignity, and the opportunity to continue contributing to the country they call home.” 

Former State Rep. Marie St. Fleur: "As a former Haitian American legislator, I know the difference between good policy and good politics. TPS for Haiti is both. Haitian TPS holders make up over 20% of Haitians in the U.S. healthcare workforce and fill critical roles across manufacturing, elder care, and other industries already facing labor shortages. This is sound policy both economically and morally. I urge Congress to pass H.R. 1689/S. 4814 and designate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status." 

Elizabeth Sweet, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition: "The Supreme Court’s recent decision on Temporary Protective Status creates a pathway to cruel and unnecessary revocation of legal status for hundreds of thousands of people in the United States. Forcing our Haitian neighbors back to a country currently facing unprecedented humanitarian and security crises is not only cruel and immoral, but it also deeply harms our local economy and the fabric of our neighborhoods. We urge leaders to protect these vulnerable residents who have brought so much to the Commonwealth and our country."  

Dr. Geralde Gabeau, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Immigrant Family Services Institute: “Passing S. 4814 now is both the moral and the right thing to do. The clock is ticking for more than 350,000 Haitian TPS holders and their families who have lived, worked, raised children, paid taxes, and strengthened communities across the United States. Congress must also address the deeper uncertainty built into the TPS system by creating a pathway to permanent residency. These families deserve stability, dignity, and the opportunity to continue contributing to the country they now call home.” 

Rosa Bentley, President of Massachusetts Senior Action Council: "Haiti remains in the grip of an active humanitarian crisis that makes safe return impossible for so many. Congress must pass H.R. 1689/S. 4814 to designate TPS for Haiti without delay. Here in Massachusetts, Haitian immigrants are a vital part of the direct care workforce that seniors and people with disabilities rely on for healthcare and long-term services and support. They are not simply filling a workforce shortage; they are trusted caregivers for our state's aging population and valued members of our communities. Failing to extend TPS for Haiti would force families to return to unsafe conditions and destabilize long-term care for seniors across Massachusetts. Congress must also establish judicial oversight of TPS decisions and a pathway to permanent residency, so families who care for ours are not left in permanent limbo." 

Cari Medina, Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU: "The end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haiti is having a devastating impact on Massachusetts' already-fragile healthcare system. Thousands of TPS holders from Haiti work in healthcare; these valued and essential members of our communities are the aides in our nursing homes, the home caregivers for our parents, and the staff keeping our hospitals running. They are our friends, family, and coworkers, and the Trump administration's xenophobic attacks on TPS holders leave us all worse off. We need Congress to stop blocking common-sense immigration reforms like a pathway to permanent residency for TPS holders, and we need our elected officials to work to keep our communities together, not tear them apart."

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