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The reliably liberal Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on the West Coast handed the Department of Homeland Security a win on Wednesday after a panel of judges ruled to allow DHS to revoke refugee status for illegal immigrants from three key countries.
The judges unanimously sided with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who had been sued by a group called the National TPS Alliance over the July revocation of TPS for Honduran, Nicaraguan and Nepalese migrants.
Noem’s chief spokeswoman remarked that TPS in its name is supposed to be temporary and made a reference to the “unvetted immigration” aspect of the program.
“This is yet another huge legal victory for the Trump administration, the rule of law, safety of the American public. Temporary Protected Status was always meant to be just that: temporary,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said.
VENEZUELAN MIGRANTS, PROGRESSIVE GROUP SUE TRUMP ADMIN AFTER NOEM NIXES BIDEN-ERA ‘PROTECTED STATUS’
“TPS was never meant to be a de facto asylum system, yet that is how previous administrations have used it for decades while allowing hundreds of thousands of foreigners into the country without proper vetting. This unanimous decision will help restore integrity to our immigration system to keep our homeland and its people safe.”
Temporary Protected Status, a formal designation within the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1990, prescribes that people from countries facing armed conflict or environmental disasters may be present in the U.S. for a short time.
Such migrants can obtain work and travel authorization and are protected from deportation for as long as the federal government decides.
Tens of thousands of migrants collectively depended on that particular granting of TPS. DHS has also worked to revoke a separate designation for Venezuelan migrants.
FED COURT OF APPEALS GRANTS TRUMP ADMIN PAUSE ON PROTECTIONS FOR 60K IMMIGRANTS
Originally, a lower court in July blunted DHS’ effort to rescind TPS for Nicaraguan, Nepalese and Honduran migrants for a four-month period, so the court could fully investigate the case.
The three-judge panel then intervened Wednesday. There are about 60,000 migrants who fall under this particular TPS group, according to CBS News.
On Thursday, the American Civil Liberties Union collected several comments from TPS holders from the affected countries, expressing a mix of outrage and worry over the move.
“I am heartbroken by the court’s decision. I’ve lived in the U.S. for years, and my kids are U.S. citizens and have never even been to Nepal,” said Sandhya Lama, a Nepalese TPS holder.
“We are not an ‘emergency.’ We are families, workers and neighbors who have built our lives here. Despite this setback, we will continue to fight for justice. This decision will not silence us. Our voices will be heard.”
“I can’t believe that the government wants to rip away my legal status and separate me from my child. I have not been to Honduras since I was a baby,” added Jhony Silva, a Honduran native and plaintiff in the case.
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