Wasserman Schultz Leads 50+ Democrats in Bill to Protect TPS Holders, Restore Checks and Balances

Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25) introduced the TPS Review Act, which would reassert judicial and Congressional review of the executive branch's decisions about TPS. She was joined by 58 original cosponsors, including Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Rep. Yvette Clarke, (NY-09), Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Rep. Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), and Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Rep. Grace Meng (NY-06). A federal appeals court gave Haitians a temporary reprieve Wednesday from losing their deportation protections from deportation, which had been set to end Friday. That reprieve could end anytime after Monday, July 27.

The crux of the Supreme Court's Trump v. Miot ruling that allows this threat to proceed, is that, regardless of whether the Administration's TPS termination for Haiti and Syria was lawful, courts have no authority to assess if a decision to revoke TPS is legal. This legislation explicitly allows court reviews of TPS determination reasoning, which in the case of Haiti was clearly fueled by Trump Administration racism.

"Hundreds of thousands of families who followed the law, passed multiple criminal background checks, earned work permits, and paid taxes are at risk of being torn apart, thrown in ICE jails, or sent back to a nation overrun by criminal gangs who murder and kidnap at will because of the horrible decisions made by the Trump Administration and a MAGA Supreme Court," said Wasserman Schultz. "This fight is not over. My TPS Review Act will restore checks and balances on the President's handling of TPS, because nobody is above the law."

The TPS Review Act would amend the Temporary Protected Status statute to institute judicial review, establish a cause of action for TPS recipients and their representatives to sue for relief in court, and allow Congress to reverse a TPS termination by simple majority vote under the Congressional Review Act.

This legislation will also require a standardized, documented process for the Executive Branch to review country conditions before TPS can be revoked, creating a paper trail for litigation. It places the burden of evidence on the Government to prove that a challenged TPS decision complies with these requirements.

Under this bill, TPS recipients would maintain their status and work permits automatically and indefinitely while a termination is litigated in court, eliminating the uncertainty that has harmed Florida businesses and consumers over the last year.

Original co-sponsors include: U.S. Representatives Gabe Amo, Wesley Bell, Donald Beyer, Shontel Brown, André Carson, Kathy Castor, Joaquin Castro, Judy Chu, Yvette Clarke, Angie Craig, Danny Davis, Suzan DelBene, Maxine Dexter, Adriano Espaillat, Lois Frankel, Maxwell Frost, Jesús García, Jimmy Gomez, Al Green, Adelita Grijalva, Steven Horsford, Jonathan Jackson, Henry Johnson, Sydney Kamlager-Dove, Rick Larsen, John Larson, George Latimer, Zoe Lofgren, Stephen Lynch, John Mannion, Doris Matsui, Jennifer McClellan, Morgan McGarvey, James McGovern, Gregory Meeks, Jared Moskowitz, Seth Moulton, Eleanor Norton, Nancy Pelosi, Scott Peters, Brittany Pettersen, Stacey Plaskett, Mark Pocan, Ayanna Pressley, Mike Quigley, Deborah Ross, Andrea Salinas, Lateefah Simon, Adam Smith, Darren Soto, Melanie Stansbury, Rashida Tlaib, Paul Tonko, Marc Veasey, Nydia Velázquez, Bonnie Watson Coleman, and Frederica Wilson.

Read the full bill here.

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