We Stand with Haitian and Syrian Refugees
On June 25, the Supreme Court issued a 6-3 decision that allows the Trump administration to end the humanitarian Temporary Protected Status of approximately 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians who now face expulsion at the whim of the government. These people were admitted here beginning in 2010 because of ongoing crises in their countries.
National Urban League President Marc Morial issued a statement that includes the following assessment of this action:
The Trump administration did not decide to deport protected Haitian and Syrian immigrants because it determined those nations are safe. It arbitrarily determined they were “safe” so that it could deport those immigrants. The Department of State maintains a strict “Level 4- Do Not Travel” advisory due to the risk of “crime, terrorism, kidnapping, unrest, and limited health care” in Haiti and “terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, hostage taking, crime, and armed conflict” in Syria.
The administration has made no secret of its intent to base immigration policy on race. It has turned our refugee program into a “whites only” pathway to the United States – even planning a “welcome bag” containing racist literature. The President has invoked Nazi terminology to dehumanize immigrants from South America, Africa, and Asia. He’s expressed a preference for immigrants from “nice countries” like Denmark, Switzerland, Norway, whose populations are more than 90% white.
The consequences of the Court’s decision are not abstract. They will be measured in families torn apart, in lives upended, and in the erosion of a principle as old as the Constitution itself: that justice must be blind to race, not blind to racism. When the highest Court in the land refuses to confront discrimination so clearly etched into the public record, it does more than misinterpret the law — it signals that some forms of prejudice can be ignored, excused, or even sanctioned. And that is a precedent far more dangerous than any single decision.
ULGA concurs with NUL that we cannot turn a blind eye toward this blatant mistreatment of an entire group of immigrants, people who have lived lawfully in the USA since 2010, establishing homes and businesses and contributing positively to their communities around the country. According to a Center for Immigration Studies fact sheet, between 15,000 and 40,000 people of Haitian heritage live in the Atlanta metro area.
Further, the estimates show approximately 7,000 Haitian TPS holders participating in the Georgia workforce, primarily in fields like property management, logistics, and nursing. (Syrians living in Georgia represent a very slim portion of the national figure of 6,000 Syrians losing TPS, and statistics on them are hard to pin down.)
A 2024 American Community Survey estimated that the broader TPS Haitian population in Georgia contributed $151 million to the state’s economy and additional multi-millions in federal, state, and local tax revenues.
If you would like to act in support of Haitian and Syrian immigrants during what may be a crisis for TPS holders, consider contacting the following organizations in our state:
Haitians
- Haitian American Association of Georgia — Cultural support, community events, TPS information.
- Haitian Consulate in Atlanta — Passport and documentation assistance.
- Latin American Association — Immigration legal services and family support.
- New American Pathways — Legal help, refugee support, civic resources.
- Catholic Charities Atlanta — Low‑cost immigration legal services.
- International Rescue Committee Atlanta — Legal representation and emergency support.
- Georgia Asylum & Immigration Network (GAIN) — Pro bono legal defense.
- Refugee Women’s Network — Support for immigrant women, including Haitian families.
Syrians
Direct Legal & Deportation Defense
- Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta: Provides direct immigration legal services, including representation in deportation proceedings before the Immigration Court. You can explore their support options via Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Atlanta Legal Services.
- Georgia Asylum and Immigration Network (GAIN): Offers free immigration legal services for qualifying individuals, often focusing on asylum and victims of persecution.
- Catholic Charities Atlanta: Provides low-cost, quality legal representation during deportation and removal proceedings. Find specific contact information through GeorgiaLegalAid.org – Deportation and Removal.
