Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich is criticizing two U.S. Supreme Court immigration decisions issued Thursday, including one allowing the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Haiti and Syria.
In a statement, Elrich called the rulings “shameful” and said they could affect more than 33,000 Maryland residents with Temporary Protected Status from countries including Haiti, El Salvador, Honduras, Venezuela, Syria and Somalia. He said losing TPS means individuals could lose their work authorization and legal status, making them subject to detention and deportation. Elrich also criticized the Court’s decision allowing the federal government to turn away some asylum seekers before they reach U.S. soil.
Elrich said Montgomery County will continue providing county services without asking about immigration status and noted that local laws limit the use of county resources for federal immigration enforcement. He encouraged residents with TPS to seek guidance from trusted legal service providers and the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center while officials review the implications of the rulings.
