Attorney General Kwame Raoul is taking a stand alongside a coalition of 19 attorneys general in opposing the Trump administration's premature termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians, as reported by the Illinois Attorney General's office. The legal group has filed an amicus brief in the case Haitian Evangelical Clergy Association v. Trump, arguing that ending TPS would cause widespread harm to Haitian immigrants, who have been uprooted from their home due to instability and natural disasters, actively contribute to local economies, and face the threat of separation from their families in the United States.
In a detailed amicus brief, picked up by the Illinois Attorney General's office, Raoul together with his counterparts, contend that not only do Haitian TPS holders play a crucial role within their communities, but their forced removal would deal a significant blow to state economies and labor forces, and raise healthcare costs, the abrupt termination of TPS would also greatly challenge public safety efforts and enforcement of criminal codes and expose many to the threat of deportation.
Attorney General Raoul is particularly invested in this issue, citing his personal history as the child of Haitian immigrants, he recognizes the profound impact the Haitian community has on enriching the cultural and economic landscape of the United States. "Haitians who hold TPS designations have been forced to flee their home country due to conflicts and environmental disasters in their home country," Raoul said, according to the press release. "Temporary Protected Status helps these immigrants who are eager to contribute to their new communities to do so while working toward a better life for their families."
The coalition seeks to have the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York invalidate the early termination order, which would, in turn, allow TPS holders to retain their work authorization and avoid the specter of deportation, Raoul and the supporting attorneys general hail from states across the country, including California, New York, and Oregon, demonstrating unified opposition to a policy shift they argue is not just inhumane, but also detrimental to the fabric of various state economies and communities.
