The brief was filed in Trump v. Miot and Mullin v. Doe. The coalition urges the justices to affirm the postponement of the terminations, which the attorneys general say would "cause immediate and irreparable harm by upending the lives of tens of thousands of lawfully present immigrants," according to Bonta's office.
TPS, established by Congress in 1990, allows 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 release said.
The Trump administration moved to terminate TPS for Haitians and Syrians in November 2025, according to the release. The State Department continues to classify both countries at "Level 4: Do Not Travel," its highest risk designation, Bonta's office 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," Bonta said in the release. "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," Bonta said. "I respectfully urge the Supreme Court to preserve these lawful immigration pathways that support hardworking and lawful TPS recipients."
The coalition argues the terminations would strip recipients of work authorization, expose them to deportation and separate families, including U.S. citizen children. The brief also contends the terminations would harm state economies and workforces, raise healthcare costs, and impede enforcement of criminal codes because TPS holders "would be less likely to report crime," according to the release.
Bonta co-led the filing with the attorneys general of Illinois, Massachusetts and New York. They were 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.
In February 2026, Bonta co-led a separate amicus brief opposing the termination of TPS for Haitians, according to his office.