California Attorney General Rob Bonta co-led a coalition of 19 state attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the U.S. Supreme Court on April 13, 2026, in Trump v. Miot and Mullin v. Doe. The brief asks the Court to affirm the postponement of TPS terminations for Haitian and Syrian nationals that the Trump administration moved to implement in November 2025.
TPS is a humanitarian program Congress established in 1990 that permits nationals of designated countries to remain in the United States due to ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or extraordinary and temporary conditions in their home countries. The coalition argues the administration acted without evidence that dangerous conditions in Haiti or Syria had improved, and notes that the U.S. State Department continues to classify both countries as Level 4: Do Not Travel — its highest risk designation.
The brief contends the terminations would cause irreparable harm on multiple fronts: stripping TPS holders of work authorization, exposing them to deportation, and separating families that include U.S. citizen children. The coalition also argues the terminations would damage state economies by removing the employment and entrepreneurship contributions of Haitian and Syrian TPS holders, raise healthcare costs, and undermine public safety by making TPS holders less likely to report crimes. The brief further argues the terminations are unlawful.
In a statement accompanying the filing, Bonta said: "From the outset of the Trump Administration, lawful immigrants have been targeted in ways that defy our nation's values and weaken our communities. California is stronger because we welcome immigrants who come here seeking safety and opportunity, work hard, follow the law, and build roots over many years. We will not stand idly by as our neighbors and colleagues are ripped from their families and forced to return to countries that are still dangerous. I respectfully urge the Supreme Court to preserve these lawful immigration pathways that support hardworking and lawful TPS recipients."
The brief was co-led by the attorneys general of Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York, and joined by the attorneys general of Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
This story is based on a press release from the California Attorney General's office. No court ruling or substantive legal holding has issued in connection with this filing.