Supreme Court Upholds Trump's Termination of Haitian and Syrian TPS

The Supreme Court of the United States issued two pivotal 6-3 rulings on June 25, 2026, significantly expanding the executive branch's immigration authority. In Mullin v. Doe, the Court ruled that the Department of Homeland Security possesses broad, non-reviewable discretion to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS), clearing the way for the removal of protections for approximately 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians. In a separate ruling, the Court upheld the revival of metering, allowing officials to turn away asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border before they physically enter the country.

Justice Samuel Alito authored the majority opinions, rejecting claims that the TPS terminations were racially motivated. In a rare move, Justice Sonia Sotomayor read a dissent from the bench, calling the asylum ruling egregiously wrong. This prompted a sharp, off-the-cuff rebuke from Justice Alito, who claimed he was blindsided by the oral dissent. Justice Elena Kagan also dissented, arguing that the TPS decision was driven by racial animus, citing Donald Trump's derogatory comments about Haitians.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin subsequently directed affected migrants to either apply for permanent residency or depart the U.S., offering travel assistance and $2,100 for repatriation. The ruling sparked intense political backlash, with New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine warning of healthcare crises and economic instability. Meanwhile, White House advisor Stephen Miller announced that the U.S. has effectively closed its doors to asylum seekers and signaled that the administration will next seek to end birthright citizenship.