Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said migrants living in the United States under Temporary Protected Status should either seek a more permanent immigration status or prepare to leave the country, following a Supreme Court decision that allows the Trump administration to move forward with ending protections for many Haitian and Syrian nationals.
Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union, Mullin said TPS was never designed to be a permanent immigration category. He said migrants affected by the ruling should try to complete paperwork for a lawful permanent status if they qualify, or accept government assistance to return to their home countries.
The administration has also pointed to a relocation offer that includes a plane ticket and about $2,100 for eligible migrants who leave voluntarily. Supporters of the policy argue that the government is enforcing the temporary nature of the program. Critics say the move could force long-settled families and workers back to countries the U.S. government itself still warns Americans not to visit.
The Supreme Court ruling allows the administration to end TPS protections for hundreds of thousands of Haitians and several thousand Syrians. The decision affects people who have been legally living and working in the United States under a humanitarian program created for nationals of countries facing war, natural disaster or other extraordinary conditions.
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Haiti was first granted TPS after the devastating 2010 earthquake. Syria received the designation after civil war broke out in 2012. For many recipients, those protections were renewed repeatedly over the years, allowing them to build lives, raise families, work legally and contribute to local communities.
The latest ruling does not mean every affected migrant will be removed immediately. Immigration cases can involve paperwork, deadlines, individual legal claims and possible alternative forms of relief. However, the decision removes a major legal barrier that had prevented the administration from ending protections for the affected groups.
Immigration advocates warned that the ruling could create fear and disruption across Haitian and Syrian communities. They argue that many TPS holders have lived in the United States for years or even decades, paid taxes, worked in essential industries and raised U.S.-citizen children. Losing TPS could mean losing work authorization, facing possible detention or being placed in deportation proceedings.
The situation in Haiti remains a major point of concern. The State Department continues to warn against travel to Haiti because of violence, kidnapping, crime and instability. Syria also remains under a high-level travel warning because of conflict, terrorism and security risks. Critics of the administration’s position argue that sending people back under those conditions contradicts the humanitarian purpose of TPS.
The issue has also created some divisions inside the Republican Party. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine criticized the decision, saying the conditions in Haiti are extremely dangerous and that ending protections could hurt communities where Haitian workers and business owners have become part of the local economy. Other Republican lawmakers have also called for extending protections for some Haitian migrants, arguing that the practical effects on employers and neighborhoods should be considered.
For cities and towns with large TPS populations, the economic consequences could be significant. Workers with TPS often hold jobs in healthcare, construction, food service, transportation and caregiving. If they lose legal work authorization, employers may face labor shortages, while families could lose income and housing stability. Local governments may also face pressure if families are separated or if children with U.S. citizenship remain in the country while parents face removal.
At the same time, supporters of the Trump administration’s approach say temporary status cannot become a backdoor path to permanent residence without congressional action. They argue that repeated extensions weakened the original purpose of TPS and that immigration policy should be handled through clear legal channels rather than indefinite humanitarian renewals.
The broader question now is whether the administration will target TPS designations for other countries. More than one million people from multiple nations have some form of temporary protection in the United States, depending on current designations and legal categories. Immigration advocates fear the ruling could make it easier for the government to unwind protections for additional groups.
Congress could still act to create a more permanent solution for long-term TPS holders, but immigration legislation has been politically difficult for years. Until then, many affected families are left waiting for official guidance, legal advice and the next steps from federal agencies.
Why It Matters
The Supreme Court decision and DHS response could affect hundreds of thousands of migrants who have been legally living and working in the United States. The issue touches immigration enforcement, humanitarian protection, local economies, employers, schools and families with U.S.-citizen children.
What Comes Next
Affected TPS holders are expected to face new deadlines and legal uncertainty as the administration moves ahead. Advocacy groups may continue legal challenges or push Congress for a permanent status option, while the Trump administration is likely to present the ruling as support for a stricter immigration policy.
In a CNN interview, the Homeland Security secretary defended the administration’s position that Temporary Protected Status was not intended to be permanent.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin responds to outrage over the U.S. Supreme Court ruling allowing for 350,000 Haitians to be deported: “Temporary protected status, according to the courts and in its name itself is not permanent status.” pic.twitter.com/KKAXzYPak9
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) June 28, 2026
