Immigrant advocates in Connecticut are calling on state leaders to prepare for the possible loss of legal protections for thousands of people after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Trump administration can move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for Haitians and Syrians.
TPS is a federal program that allows people from countries facing war, natural disasters or other extraordinary conditions to live and work legally in the United States. The Trump administration has argued that conditions in some countries have improved enough that the protections are no longer necessary.
For organizations that work with immigrants, however, the ruling has triggered fear and uncertainty.
"The Haitian community, in particular, is reeling," said Maggie Mitchell-Salem, executive director of Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services, commonly known as IRIS.
Mitchell-Salem said the number of Syrians affected by the decision is much smaller than the number of Haitians nationwide, but she argued that the impact goes beyond statistics. Her organization has led resettlement efforts for Syrian refugees in Connecticut since the federal government offered TPS status amid the Syrian civil war in 2012.
"Numbers don't matter," she said. "A single person being impacted by inhumane racist immigration policies is a person who's impacted, and we should care."
A community preparing for uncertainty
Mitchell-Salem said immigrant advocacy groups and local officials are already discussing how to help families who could face difficult decisions if the Trump administration decides to end TPS protections.
Among the biggest concerns are families that could be separated if parents lose their legal status or face deportation.
"We're working with municipalities, with any community leaders that we can, who are coming up with plans on what to do to help individuals here," she said.
She urged families whose immigration status may be at risk to create preparedness plans and designate trusted relatives or friends who could care for children if necessary.
"The state of Connecticut has one on their website," she said. "We urge everyone who has a family situation that is no longer stable to fill that out."
Looking to Massachusetts as a model
Mitchell-Salem said Connecticut should consider following the example set by Massachusetts leaders, who responded to the Supreme Court ruling by holding a press conference, reassuring TPS holders of their rights, announcing legal clinics and creating an emergency response fund.
"What I think is beautiful about what Massachusetts did is that it signaled you are valued, you are part of our community, and we care about you," she said. "For that, I would love to see Connecticut do something similar."
At the same time, she cautioned that there are limits to what states can do if federal protections ultimately end.
"I think the state of Connecticut is right to really think about what remedies are truly possible," Mitchell-Salem said.
Warning against scams
Mitchell-Salem said one of her organization's biggest concerns is that desperate immigrants could become targets for fraud.
"What we're most concerned about is that because people will be so desperate that there are those that will take advantage of them," she said.
IRIS has been posting information in English, Haitian Creole and Arabic warning immigrants that there are "no magic solutions" and encouraging them to seek advice only from trusted legal organizations and immigration attorneys.
A call to action
Mitchell-Salem said the Supreme Court's decision should prompt action not only from government officials but also from the public.
"Flood congressional phone banks, call Congress every single day, tell them what you think," she said. "Get your friends in states that are less blue than Connecticut to do the same."
She said public pressure has altered the course of other administration policies and could again influence federal immigration decisions.
"This isn't an issue that's just a blip that's going to go away," Mitchell-Salem said.
