Rep. Menefee Statement on Supreme Court Decision Allowing Termination of Temporary Protected Status
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Christian D. Menefee (TX-18) issued the following statement after the Supreme Court's 6-3 decision allowing the Trump administration to move forward with terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) protections for hundreds of thousands of immigrants.
“Today's decision is devastating. It is cruel, shortsighted, and fundamentally un-American. Temporary Protected Status holders are not strangers. They fled unimaginable violence, political persecution, natural disasters, and humanitarian crises to build better lives. They have worked hard, played by the rules, raised families, started businesses, cared for our children and our seniors, and strengthened our communities and our economy. Ripping away those protections and forcing people back to countries plagued by violence, political instability, and humanitarian catastrophe is not security it is just heartless and wrong,” said Congressman Menefee. “I will continue fighting to preserve Temporary Protected Status and ensure that families who have followed the law are not forced into impossible circumstances.”
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is a humanitarian program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that allows eligible nationals of countries experiencing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions to live and work legally in the United States when it is unsafe for them to return home.
Texas is home to approximately 147,000 TPS holders, including large populations from Venezuela, Haiti, and El Salvador. The loss of work authorization could put an estimated 117,000 Texas jobs at risk. In 2023, TPS holders contributed $4.3 billion to Texas GDP. Nationally, TPS holders contribute an estimated $5.9 billion to the U.S. economy each year and pay roughly $1.5 billion annually in federal, state, and local taxes.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned exactly what the consequences of this decision would be in her dissent: 'The consequences of today's decision are predictable. More people will die. More people will attempt to cross the border illegally, and some will make it while others will not.'
Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation designating Haiti for Temporary Protected Status, demonstrating that lawmakers from both parties recognize the humanitarian need for TPS and the contributions these individuals make to our country.
