Massachusetts leaders pledge aid, legal help after Supreme Court ends TPS for Haitians and Syrians

Massachusetts officials on Friday convened a State House press conference to condemn a Supreme Court decision that will end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitian and Syrian nationals and to announce state resources and community supports for affected residents.

The governor said the ruling, issued earlier the same day, strips legal protections from people who "came to this country under horrific circumstances" and warned it will have immediate social and economic consequences in Massachusetts. "Massachusetts will not turn our back on families who've built their lives here," the governor said, noting an estimated 45,000 Haitian TPS holders in the state and the presence of TPS holders across health care and other industries.

The attorney general, Andrea Campbell, called the ruling "devastating" and said it permits the federal administration to cancel TPS for Haitians and Syrians. Campbell urged calm about the implementation timeline: the termination, she said, will not take effect immediately and the case will return to lower courts, but the timing of any formal judgment and Department of Homeland Security implementation remains uncertain. "You remain protected today," Campbell told TPS holders, adding officials are watching for a formal judgment and DHS guidance.

State officials urged affected people to consult legal resources and community partners. The governor and the attorney general said they have set up a joint resource page at mass.gov/immigrantresources with information on legal assistance and local supports, and the administration said it will issue guidance for employers. United Way of Massachusetts Bay has opened a United Response Fund to provide emergency assistance; the governor and Boston officials encouraged donations at unitedwaymassbay.org/federalresponse.

Boston leaders described preparations already in place for legal observers, food supports and outreach to ensure TPS holders can access services. The mayor thanked partner organizations—including United Way and the Boston Foundation—and said more than $2.6 million had been mobilized since March to strengthen supports; he reiterated that employment decisions should be based on workers' current authorization documents.

Speakers at the press conference repeatedly urged public advocacy. "Call the Department of Homeland Security and say TPS must remain. Call Congress," the attorney general said. City Councilor Ruthie Luzhen and Marty Martinez of United Way likewise called for constituent calls to lawmakers and donations to support families who could lose wages and housing stability.

Health and advocacy leaders described the human impact. Dr. Gerald Gabor recounted encounters with children whose parents fear deportation and called the decision "inhumane," urging community mobilization and legal guidance. The attorney general noted state estimates that about 1,500 Haitian TPS holders work in nursing care facilities, highlighting potential staffing risks in long-term care.

Officials emphasized the limited authority of state governments to block federal immigration actions but said they will coordinate legal strategies, community supports and employer guidance to reduce harms. The press conference closed with the governor offering to take questions in a scrum; no new formal state actions or votes were announced at the event.

Next steps announced by officials included the state resource page for legal referrals, forthcoming employer guidance from the governor's office, continued coordination with community organizations and a statewide fund administered by United Way and local foundations to distribute emergency assistance.