Re: 104 Mayors, Cities, Local Officials Call on U.S. Senate to Pass S. 4814 and Extend Temporary Protected Status for Haiti
Honorable Majority Leader Thune and Minority Leader Schumer,
As mayors and local leaders from communities across the United States, we write to urge the U.S. Senate to act immediately to protect our families, local businesses, health care institutions, and communities from the great harms caused by the expiration of Temporary Protected Status for Haiti.
Congressional action is now necessary to restore legal status and work authorization to more than 350,000 Haitian TPS holders, following the Supreme Court’s decision inMullin v.
Doeand one of the largest de-legalization events in U.S. history.
We ask that you act with utmost urgency to passS. 4814, which would extend TPS for Haiti until early 2029, and assert Congress’s power to act in the face of injustice and disregard for our residents and communities.
We offer the following arguments in support.
The United States government’s official position is that Haiti remains unsafe, justifying Congressional extension of TPS.The former Secretary of Homeland Security’s decision to end TPS for more than 350,000 people living and working legally in the United States flies in the face of the federal government’s own understanding of the conditions on the ground in Haiti.
The State Department has applied a “Level 4: Do Not Travel” warning to Haiti, and the Federal Aviation Administration has issued a Notice to Airmen that prohibits U.S. air carriers from flying to Port-au-Prince.
The State Department’s advisory is driven by concerns of “rampant” violent crime and “widespread” risks of kidnapping.
Circumstances in Haiti are so dire that the federal government encourages U.S. citizens to prepare proof of life protocols and write a will prior to traveling.
These extreme measures are justified by realities on the ground: more than 8,100 killings were documented between January and November 2025, and violent gangs control wide swaths of territory in the country.
Congress’s failure to protect Haitian TPS holders puts them in immediate danger. The conditions in Haiti have only worsened since the last time the Trump Administration extended TPS for Haiti in 2017.
Ending TPS for Haiti will damage the economy and harm communities across the United States.350,000 Haitian TPS holders have earned their place in America as workers, taxpayers, and leaders in our communities.
In the 16 years since TPS for Haiti was established, Haitian TPS holders have contributed greatly to our local economies, including filling tens of thousands of health care jobs and working in other essential roles.
Following the Supreme Court’s wrongful decision in Mullin v.
Doe, these workers and their families will be subject to the loss of status, loss of work authorization, and threat of deportation if Congress does not act.
Local governments and their leaders, including many of the signatories to this letter, argued asamiciin Mullin v.
Doethat the Secretary’s decision was unlawful.
The amicus brief made clear that TPS holders provide immense value to our communities and described the disorder that would result from putting 350,000 people at risk of immediate removal from the U.S. Removing legal status from hundreds of thousands of hard-working, law-abiding community members will create massive disruptions for health care providers, other employers, and our social safety nets.
It will also harm the country’s economy—Haitian TPS holders contribute between $4.4 billion and $5.9 billion annually.
Parents will be forced to make the impossible choice to either leave their American citizen children behind or remain together in highly dangerous conditions.
Instead of being allowed to lawfully work and contribute, TPS holders will be subject to immediate removal from their homes of many years.
Surges in federal immigration activity will endanger our residents and strain local law enforcement and first responders.
Congress has the authority to act now to extend TPS.
Although the Administration and the Court have failed to act responsibly, Congress can still protect TPS for Haiti.
But it must act urgently.
The House passedH.R. 1689in April, and now, the Senate must pass S. 4814.
TPS status may be applied when “conditions in country. . .temporarily prevent the country's nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.” The conditions in Haiti today are precisely what Congress had in mind when establishing TPS, and Congress has the authority to extend protections where the Secretary has failed to.
Terminating Haiti’s TPS designation—even as the U.S. government itself acknowledges the country’s extreme danger—contradicts longstanding U.S. policy and undermines the very purpose established by Congress for the TPS program.
We are urging you to pass S. 4814 to protect our residents and the institutions that rely on their contributions.
Sincerely,
Michelle Wu
Mayor of Boston
Ruthzee Louijeune
Boston City Councilor At-Large
Additional Signatories
The City of Albany, New YorkThe City of Burlington, VermontThe City of Cambridge, MassachusettsThe Town of Chapel Hill, North CarolinaThe City of Chelsea, MassachusettsThe City of Chicago, IllinoisThe City of Cincinnati, OhioThe City and County of Denver, ColoradoThe City of Fitchburg, MassachusettsThe Village of Hempstead, New YorkThe City of Lima, OhioThe City of New York, New YorkThe City of Omaha, NebraskaThe City of Portland, OregonThe County of Santa Clara, CaliforniaThe City of Seattle, WashingtonThe City of Somerville, MassachusettsThe City of Spokane, WashingtonThe City of Worcester, Massachusetts
Mayors
Jim RossMayor, City of Arlington, Texas
Michael CahillMayor, City of Beverly, Massachusetts
Joseph GanimMayor, City of Bridgeport, Connecticut
John CowenMayor, City of Brownsville, Texas
Sumbul SiddiquiMayor, City of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Jess AndersonMayor and Town Council, Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Brandon JohnsonMayor, City of Chicago, Illinois
Aftab PurevalMayor, City of Cincinnati, Ohio
Justin BibbMayor, City of Cleveland, Ohio
Barbara BuffaloeMayor, City of Columbia, Missouri
Andrew GintherMayor, City of Columbus, Ohio
Gay Lynn BennionMayor, City of Cottonwood Heights, Utah
Derrick HenryMayor, City of Daytona Beach, Florida
Leonardo WilliamsMayor, City of Durham, North Carolina
Daniel BissMayor, City of Evanston, Illinois
Theresa RichMayor, City of Farmington Hills, Michigan
Christina MurynMayor, City of Findlay, Ohio
Samantha SquailiaMayor, City of Fitchburg, Massachusetts
Harvey WardMayor, City of Gainesville, Florida
Michael J. NicholsonMayor, City of Gardner, Massachusetts
James SolomonMayor, Jersey City, New Jersey
Mayor Quinton LucasMayor, City of Kansas City, Missouri
Keith SydnorMayor, City of Laurel, Maryland
Kyle SchlachterMayor, City of Littleton, Colorado
Jack BradleyMayor, City of Lorain, Ohio
Jared NicholsonMayor, City of Lynn, Massachusetts
Karen BassMayor, City of Los Angeles, California
Gary ChristensonMayor, City of Malden, Massachusetts
Annette BlackwellMayor, City of Maple Heights, Ohio
Girmay ZahilayCounty Executive, Martin Luther King Jr. County, Washington
Breanna Lungo-KoehnMayor, City of Medford, Massachusetts
Jennifer GrigoraitisMayor, City of Melrose, Massachusetts
D.J. BeauregardMayor, City of Methuen, Massachusetts
Eileen HigginsMayor, City of Miami, Florida
Jacob FreyMayor, City of Minneapolis, Minnesota
Wayne MessamMayor, City of Miramar, Florida
Shawyn Patterson-HowardMayor, City of Mount Vernon, New York
Phillip JonesMayor, City of Newport News, Virginia
Marc LaredoMayor, City of Newton, Massachusetts
Gina-Louise SciarraMayor, City of Northampton, Massachusetts
Angelo CastilloMayor, City of Pembroke Pines, Florida
Adrian MappMayor, City of Plainfield, New Jersey
Keith WilsonMayor, City of Portland, Oregon
Brett SmileyMayor, City of Providence, Rhode Island
Janet CowellMayor, City of Raleigh, North Carolina
Joseph BegenyMayor, City of Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Dominick PangalloMayor, City of Salem, Massachusetts
Todd GloriaMayor, City of San Diego, California
Chad Jason AshmoreMayor, City of Sesser, Illinois
Jake WilsonMayor, City of Somerville, Massachusetts
Domenic J. SarnoMayor, City of Springfield, Massachusetts
Regina RomeroMayor, City of Tucson, Arizona
Anne McEnerny-OgleMayor, City of Vancouver, Washington
William ReicheltMayor, Town of West Springfield, Massachusetts
Joseph M. PettyMayor, City of Worcester, Massachusetts
Local Government Leaders
Elizabeth BreadonBoston City Council President, District 9, City of Boston, Massachusetts
Julia MejiaCity Councilor At-Large, City of Boston, Massachusetts
Erin MurphyCity Councilor At-Large, City of Boston, Massachusetts
Henry SantanaCity Councilor At-Large, City of Boston, Massachusetts
Gabriela Coletta ZapataCity Councilor, District 1, City of Boston, Massachusetts
Ed Flynn, U.S. NavyCity Councilor, District 2, City of Boston, Massachusetts
John FitzGeraldCity Councilor, District 3, City of Boston, Massachusetts
Brian WorrellCity Councilor, District 4, City of Boston, Massachusetts
Enrique PepénCity Councilor, District 5, City of Boston, Massachusetts
Benjamin WeberCity Councilor, District 6, City of Boston, Massachusetts
Miniard Culpepper, Sr., Esq. City Councilor, District 7, City of Boston, Massachusetts
Sharon DurkanCity Councilor, District 8, City of Boston, Massachusetts
Jeff CharnelCity Councilor, City of Brockton, Massachusetts
Charles CareyTown Administrator, Town of Brookline, Massachusetts
William MoehleSupervisor, Town of Brighton, New York
Marc McGovernVice Mayor and City Councilor, City of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Megan BayerCity Solicitor, City of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Catherine ZusyCity Councilor, City of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Zach KleinCity Attorney, City of Columbus, Ohio
Toni PreckwinklePresident of the Board of Commissioners, County of Cook, Illinois
Burhan AzeemVice Mayor and City Councilor, City of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Patricia NolanCity Councilor, City of Cambridge, Massachusetts
Jonathan NieuwsmaCity Councilor, City of Evanston, Illinois
Natasha Megie-MaddreyCity Councilor, Ward 4, City of Lynn, Massachusetts
Sameer KanalCity Councilor, City of Portland, Oregon
Mitch GreenCity Councilor, City of Portland, Oregon
Angelita MorilloCity Councilor, City of Portland, Oregon
Dan RyanCity Councilor, City of Portland, Oregon
Pat McRaeSupervisor, Charter Township of Redford, Michigan
David ChiuCity Attorney, City and County of San Francisco, California
Read the Press Release
Download the Letter
1.
Haiti Travel Advisory, U.S. DEPT.
OF STATE, https:travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/haiti-travel-advisory.html; FED.
AVIATION ADMIN., KICZ A0024/26 NOTAM, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA PROHIBITION AGAINST CERTAIN FLIGHTS IN THE TERRITORY AND AIRSPACE OF HAITI.
2. Haiti Travel Advisory, U.S. DEPT. OF STATE, https:travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/haiti-travel-advisory.html.
3. Daniel Dickinson, Haiti explained: why the crisis is deepening — and what comes next, UN News, https:news.un.org/en/story/2026/01/1166801.
4. SeeAmicus Briefof Local Governments, Mullin v. Doe, No. 25-1083,.
5.
See Id.
Many Haitian TPS holders are caregivers working in health, disability, and elder-care fields that have faced a workforce crisis caused by extreme labor shortages.
An estimated 13,000 Haitian TPS holders are nursing assistants, and an additional 8,000 are caregivers.
Miriam Jordan, Haitians Are Vital to U.S. Health Care.
Many Are About to Lose Their Right to Work, N.Y. Times, https:perma.cc/6VPJ-DY9P; Haitian TPS Holders Make the U.S. Stronger, UndocuBlack Network, Haitian Bridge Alliance, & FWD.us, https: perma.cc/BRB9-ABJV.
6.
See Letter from Maura Healey, Governor of Mass., to Kristi Noem, Secretary of the Dep’t of Homeland Security, https:perma.cc/9FYM-H4YB; Haitian TPS Holders Make the U.S. Stronger, UndocuBlack Network, Haitian Bridge Alliance, & FWD.us, https:perma.cc/BRB9-ABJV;.
7. Mullin v. Doe, 609 U.S. __, slip. op. at 13.
8. Temporary Protected Status, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, https:www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status.
Read the Press Release
Download the Letter