Democratic-led states are actively opposing President Donald Trump and his administration’s aggressive policy of mass deportation of immigrants in the United States.
A coalition of 18 attorneys general, spearheaded by New York state, has initiated legal action challenging the Trump administration’s recent move to terminate protections for Haitian and Venezuelan immigrants, as reported by Border Report.
New York Attorney General Letitia James submitted the motion on Tuesday in a Massachusetts federal court, joined by attorneys general from Massachusetts, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
The legal challenge follows the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)’s recent announcement to withdraw legal protections from hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, potentially subjecting them to deportation within approximately one month.
The policy change impacts roughly 532,000 individuals who entered the United States after October 2022, with Haitian nationals comprising nearly two-thirds of this population. The Trump administration has also declared the termination of Temporary Protected Status for more than 350,000 Venezuelans, eliminating their authorization to live and work in the United States. According to Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, Haitians will lose their TPS status in August and subsequently face deportation.
“New York is home to thousands of hardworking Haitian and Venezuelan immigrants who are members of our communities, our culture, and our economy. Stripping these individuals of their legal status will not make our communities safer or stronger—it will only put immigrants and their families in harm’s way,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. She implored the court to prevent this measure, which she deems “unlawful” and potentially life-threatening for numerous immigrants from the affected nations, according to Border Report.
James emphasized that both Haiti and Venezuela remain unsafe for these residents, and their forced return would expose them to significant dangers. Furthermore, maintaining their presence in the United States without legal status would deny them employment rights and negatively impact local communities.
The motion filed by the attorneys general of the 18 states and the District of Columbia emphasizes the devastating impact of this decision on American states, particularly concerning their economic stability, educational institutions, and healthcare systems. “The states will suffer irreparable harm if TPS is terminated. This decision will fracture communities, impact schools, destabilize the economy, and compromise public health and safety,” the motion declares.
New York hosts more than 56,000 TPS holders, including approximately 5,400 Haitians living in New York City. In 2023, TPS households in New York State generated over $2.3 billion in income and contributed more than $348 million in federal taxes, according to Border Report.
The case is currently under federal court review and could determine the fate of hundreds of thousands of immigrants residing in the United States. The attorneys general are petitioning the presiding judge to issue a temporary injunction before April 24 to halt President Trump’s decision to terminate the CHNV program, widely referred to as the “Biden program.”
