Three organizations have filed a lawsuit in an attempt to block the Trump administration’s decision to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for individuals from Haiti and Venezuela living in the United States. The administration had rescinded the TPS extension granted by President Joe Biden, requiring Haitians to return to their country by August 3 and Venezuelans by April 2. This move has been challenged by various lawsuits, with the recent one being the first filed on behalf of Haitians under TPS.
Lawyers for Civil Rights, representing the groups and affected individuals, argue that TPS is crucial for immigrants who have fled violence, political upheaval, and natural disasters in their home countries. The lawsuit claims that the administration does not have the authority to revoke an extension that has already been granted.
The Boston area is home to a significant Haitian population, with approximately 50,000 people, making it one of the largest Haitian communities in the U.S. One of the affected individuals, a Haitian American from Boston, expressed disagreement with Trump’s decision to deport individuals under TPS before the allocated time, stating that Trump cannot preemptively end a status that has been granted until 2026.
The lawsuit contends that the decision to terminate TPS for Haiti and Venezuela is driven by racial bias and is not based on the realities faced by these communities. It references past incidents and statements made by Trump regarding these countries and immigrants. The plaintiffs, including individuals working in real estate and nursing, are challenging the administration’s directive through the lawsuit, expressing concerns about the sudden loss of legal status and potential deportation to unstable conditions in their home countries.
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