New York City is terminating the employment of Haitian city workers who have lost Temporary Protected Status, after a Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for President Trump to end humanitarian protections for Haitian immigrants, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Friday.
City officials said at least dozens of city workers were affected, but that number could rise to the hundreds. Under the Temporary Protected Status program, more than 350,000 people from Haiti and Syria were allowed to live and work across the United States while their home countries faced humanitarian disasters. President Trump has been working to end the program, as part of his administration’s sweeping crackdown on immigrant communities.
The work permits of Haitians with Temporary Protected Status expired on July 24, and the mayor said the city had little choice but to comply with federal law. “The City of New York was forced by federal law, as recently decided by the Supreme Court, to review the work authorization of Haitian T.P.S. holders,” he said in a statement.
Mr. Mamdani has tended to avoid directly antagonizing Mr. Trump, with whom he has had a surprisingly warm relationship. But after announcing the cuts, he took aim at Mr. Trump.
“Only President Trump has the power to restore T.P.S.,” Mr. Mamdani said. “The president should exercise his authority to benefit all New Yorkers and protect our economy.”
The end of T.P.S. protections brought fear and grief to corners of the city with large Haitian populations. Haitian immigrants and people of Haitian descent form a large and politically vocal New York City community; at well over 250,000 people, the population has grown since waves of immigrants from Haiti started coming to the city in the 1960s. Many Haitian immigrants in New York have fled earthquakes, violence and political instability. In his statement on Friday, Mr. Mamdani noted they have contributed to the city’s industries, including health care, construction and hospitality.
During his mayoral campaign, Mr. Mamdani worked to build relationships with this community, doing a video tour around Little Haiti after accepting the endorsement of Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the City Council member representing Flatbush and Midwood.
In his statement, Mr. Mamdani said that every worker whose job is being cut would receive support to assess their options, including preserving the possibility to reinstate their employment if they obtain a new work authorization. Other resources available to those workers include free legal consultations and help navigating health insurance.
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