Campbell Calls on Senate to Act Immediately to Protect 45,000 Massachusetts Residents
BOSTON, MA—Following the Supreme Court’s devastating ruling last month allowing the Trump administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell today called on the United States Senate to immediately pass legislation introduced by Senators Ed Markey and Lisa Blunt Rochester extending TPS for Haitian nationals through 2029.
“The Supreme Court got it wrong, and now it is Congress’s turn to act,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “This bill would extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitian nationals through 2029 and protect the estimated 45,000 Haitian TPS holders in Massachusetts from being forced to return to a country experiencing gang violence, political instability, and humanitarian crisis. The House already passed this legislation with bipartisan support. There is no reason the Senate cannot do the same, and there is no time to waste. I am calling on the United States Senate to pass this bill immediately.”
Campbell has been fighting to preserve TPS protections at every stage of this legal battle, filing amicus briefs at the district court, appellate court, and Supreme Court level, co-leading coalitions of up to 19 state attorneys general. She also issued Know Your Rights guidance for impacted individuals and families, shared legal resources for TPS holders and warned against scams targeting vulnerable immigrants, shared family preparedness and legal resources specifically for Haitian and Syrian TPS holders and launched a statewide portal with Governor Healey — available at mass.gov/fedmisconduct — to report immigration enforcement misconduct.
“These are our neighbors, small business owners, parents, nurses and home health aides who have spent years contributing to our economy and making Massachusetts a stronger, healthier, more vibrant place to live. Forcing them to return to a country the U.S. State Department warns Americans not to visit is cruel, it is wrong, and Congress has the power to stop it. I am urging the Senate to use that power now,” Campbell said.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to extend TPS for Haitian nationals through 2029 by a bipartisan vote of 224-204, thanks in large part to the leadership of Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, who used a discharge petition to force the bill to the floor. Senator Ed Markey and Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester subsequently introduced companion legislation in the Senate, backed by Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and 16 other Senate Democrats. The Senate has not yet acted on the measure.
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About Andrea Joy Campbell:
Andrea Joy Campbell’s journey to become Massachusetts’ first Black woman Attorney General didn’t follow a traditional path. After losing her mother in a car accident as an infant and entering the foster care system while her father was incarcerated, Andrea was raised by a community of family and educators who believed in her potential. Her twin brother, Andre, died in Department of Correction custody due to inadequate medical care – a tragedy that drives her fight for accountability and fairness in our justice system. The first in her family to go to college, Andrea went on to graduate from Princeton and UCLA Law, serve as legal counsel to Governor Deval Patrick, and become the first Black woman to serve as Boston City Council President. Raised in Roxbury and the South End, Andrea is a proud Boston public school graduate who attended five different schools, including Boston Latin. Her story – of loss, resilience, faith, and opportunity – is an American story of what’s possible when the government works for people and when someone is in your corner fighting for you.
Campbell is endorsed by Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, U.S. Senator Ed Markey, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, U.S. Rep. Lori Trahan, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark, Reproductive Freedom for All, a coalition of Worcester County state and local officials, Franklin and Hampshire County leaders, leaders from across the Haverhill area, state and local leaders from Barnstable, Bristol and Plymouth counties, as well as Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, Planned Parenthood Action Fund and the Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund.
Learn more about Andrea Joy Campbell’s campaign at www.andreacampbell.org and watch her re-election launch video, “Fearless”.