DHS secretary defends end of certain TPS designations and urges voluntary departure

Reporters at the Warren County event pressed DHS about a recent operation in Springfield, Ohio, and the apparent suicide of a person previously under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). Secretary Mullen declined to offer a clinical opinion about the suicide and emphasized that suicide is a mental‑health issue.

On TPS he said the designation was temporary by design and repeated that DHS and courts have authority to end status. "TPS was not permanent," the Secretary said. He described enforcement activity in Springfield—he stated a figure of 380 arrests there—and urged voluntary departure for people whose TPS had ended, saying DHS would offer travel assistance in some cases.

"We'll give you $3,000 in a plane ticket and go home," he said, presenting voluntary departure as an option for those whose temporary designations have ended. The Secretary also said that individuals who refuse voluntary departure and are removed could face long waits before being able to return lawfully in the future.

The Secretary's comments were delivered as policy statements and operational description; reporters noted local concerns about economic impacts in communities losing workers and raised questions about monitoring protocols for people on alternatives to detention.