On June 25, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a significant 6-3 ruling in Mullin v. Doe, allowing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations for Haiti and Syria. This decision overturns lower court orders that had paused these terminations, clearing the way for hundreds of thousands of TPS holders to lose their work authorization and protection from deportation. The Court held that the TPS statute generally bars judicial review of the DHS Secretary’s termination decisions, meaning federal courts cannot review most challenges to how those decisions are made. The ruling focuses on procedural adequacy rather than evaluating whether the underlying policy choice to terminate TPS is sound, which means the door remains open for future political debates about TPS as a humanitarian protection, but the courts will typically defer to the executive branch on implementation methods.
The immediate impact is uncertainty for TPS beneficiaries and their employers. Haitian and Syrian nationals currently protected will need to explore alternative immigration options, face potential loss of work authorization, and prepare for possible employment verification changes. Employers should anticipate I-9 reverification for employees who lose TPS-based work authorization and should plan for potential workforce adjustments. The timing of when terminations take effect remains to be clarified through DHS and related agencies, with a period of guidance expected soon. Immigrants with goals tied to TPS status should consult with experienced counsel about paths to lawful status, including family- and employment-based options and potential asylum or other humanitarian avenues.
Public interest groups have signaled concern that the ruling could widen unlawful status risk for many families who built lives in the United States, but supporters emphasize the need for formal, rule-based changes to TPS.