Attorney General Anthony G. Brown, in collaboration with attorneys general from 17 other states, has filed an amicus brief in the National TPS Alliance v. Noem case, advocating against the early termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelan nationals. This move comes in response to actions by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which seeks to end protections that allow many Venezuelans to reside legally in the United States.
The case, currently pending before the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, addresses DHS’s attempt to prematurely conclude the TPS designation for Venezuelans, impacting hundreds of thousands who have established deep roots in the U.S., including those with family members who are U.S. citizens.
TPS, a program initiated by Congress in 1990, provides safety for nationals from countries experiencing severe conditions such as armed conflict or environmental disasters, allowing them to live and work in the U.S. temporarily. The attorneys general are urging the court to delay this termination, highlighting the severe consequences this could have on families and communities.
If the TPS for Venezuelans is terminated, states could see significant negative impacts on their economies and public safety. The potential fallout includes increased healthcare costs, challenges in enforcing criminal codes, and the disintegration of mixed-status households, wherein over 130,000 U.S. citizens reside with TPS recipients. These households face heartbreaking decisions, potentially leading to family separations or forcing individuals to live in the shadows without legal work opportunities.
Joining Brown in filing the brief are the attorneys general from California, New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia. They collectively emphasize the importance of maintaining TPS for Venezuelans to uphold human dignity and economic stability within their states.
