WINTER HAVEN, Fla. — A U.S Supreme Court decision on temporary protected status (TPS) has many Haitian families in the Tampa Bay area worried about what comes next.
Pastor Walner Pierressaint said his congregation in Winter Haven grew by 25% last year when many Haitians moved to the area under TPS.
“They are here to work, to enjoy American freedom and the American dream,” Pierressaint said.
WATCH: Supreme Court TPS ruling sparks concern among Polk County Haitian community
He said those families are now facing uncertainty over whether they will be allowed to stay.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled the Trump administration can end TPS for Haitians and Syrians, a program that has allowed many to legally live and work in the United States while conditions in their country remain unsafe.
Haiti has faced years of hardship since the devastating 2010 earthquake, including repeated natural disasters, political instability following the assassination of its president, and escalating gang violence.
“The gang members are everywhere in the community. You don't know where they are, they are everywhere. They claim the entire country,” Pierressaint said.
The 6-3 majority ruled that the federal government—not the courts—has broad discretion to determine when temporary protected status should be terminated.
Although the case involved TPS protections for Haitians and Syrians, the decision gives the Trump administration broader authority to end the program for other countries as well. The administration has already taken steps to terminate TPS for 13 countries.
More than 113,000 Haitian TPS holders are in Florida alone. Advocates say they're hoping Congress will step in to pass the extension of TPS.
“Please take the Haitian community as a special circumstance right now. The reason why is because in Haiti, it’s life-threatening on a daily basis,” Pierressaint said.
It remains unclear whether Congress will consider legislation to extend TPS. President Trump has repeatedly called for ending the program, making any extension uncertain.
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