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Tennessee Conservative News [By Olivia Lupia] –
With the U.S Supreme Court’s upholding of President Trump’s order to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Haitians and Syrians, many of whom have been living in America supported by taxpayer-funded resources for decades, thousands of these foreign nationals living in Tennessee must decide whether to return to their home countries or remain here illegally, potentially facing deportation, as other legal options are running dry.
In June, the country’s highest court affirmed the Trump administration’s right to terminate TPS for Haitian migrants, delivering “a major victory for American sovereignty” as the President has worked to reverse the Biden administration’s weaponization of TPS “as a backdoor amnesty to flood the country with millions of unvetted migrants.”
More than 300,000 Haitian and 6,000 Syrian migrants previously under TPS and other temporary work permits, including thousands in Tennessee, are now having to turn to other recourses as they scramble to try and keep their legal status in the country as immigration options are becoming limited under the current administration.
Aineth Murguia, assistant legal director at immigration legal services organization Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (TNJFON), bemoaned these limited options, saying ultimately three are available: families can return to their home country, seek relief through family or other means, or remain in the country without authorization which puts them at risk of deportation.
And Jazmin Ramirez, senior strategy advisor for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) said the Trump administration’s immigration policies, including the cutting of migrant aid programs, are making it “very limiting on what we are able to advocate for…with very little ways to do some proactive advocacy to provide safeguards to these families.”
Both Murguia and Ramirez say in addition to TPS terminations, they are seeing delays on green card renewals and loss of protections for DACA recipients, scenarios which could also lead to deportation. Add in the recent Supreme Court ruling limiting courts’ ability to review and legally challenge Homeland Security’s TPS decisions, and hundreds of thousands of migrants will now potentially lose legal status, work authorization, or protection from deportation.
According to the American Immigration Council as of March 31, 2025, around 1.3 million immigrants were living in the U.S. under TPS. That number started slowly decreasing when Trump ended TPS for Venezuelans in 2025, a decision which also survived legal challenges.
TPS terminations for the countries of Burma, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan, and Yemin are still pending in court, though the Supreme Court decision makes them very likely to proceed, while the few remaining active TPS designations for countries including El Salvador, Lebanon, Sudan, and Ukraine could be terminated by the end of this year.
In the meantime, many of those foreigners losing or at risk of losing their TPS are beginning to exit the country, including Haitian nationals in Springfield, Ohio. The town came into the national spotlight a couple years ago when government resources were used to flood the small city with around 20,000 Haitian migrants under TPS who then proceeded to wreak havoc in the community including causing car wrecks and other safety issues, killing and eating the local wildlife and pet population, and generally disrupting society.
On July 20, DHS reported that Haitians in Springfield are rapidly self-deporting, with some locals claiming roughly 80% have left. Mainstream media outlets continue to paint Haitian TPS termination as a situation which forces them to make “difficult decisions” about whether to leave voluntarily or not, but DHS reiterated on July 28 that, “It’s really not that big of a decision: LEAVE NOW or get deported.”
The DHS seems to have encapsulated the dominant conservative sentiment as the TPS decisions by the Trump administration have been broadly championed by Tennesseans and Americans seeking to crack down on illegal immigration and immigration fraud.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
2 Responses
Finally we have some good news! Build the Wall and Deport them ALL!!
My parents became citizens decades ago and I’m grateful that they did it the RIGHT way. We have laws, and when people break the law by illegally entering our country, they are criminals. Those criminals need to be deported. Pls VOTE to keep Tn RED!!!! If you don’t, you can’t complain about higher taxes, more crime and more blue haired lunatics!