SouthernWorldwide.com – U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has sharply criticized President Donald Trump following recent Supreme Court rulings that favored his administration’s immigration policies. The congresswoman from New York labeled these decisions as a “betrayal” of voters, particularly those who supported Trump based on promises to focus only on “criminals and rapists.”
The Supreme Court’s rulings on Thursday allowed the Trump administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for migrants from Haiti and Syria. This move rescinds legal protections that have enabled many Haitians to reside and work in the United States since the 2010 earthquake in their home country. Similarly, Syrians had been granted TPS in 2012 due to the ongoing civil war.
Ocasio-Cortez expressed her disappointment, stating that the decisions unfairly target individuals who are not criminals. She argued that the ruling impacts essential workers such as nurses, healthcare providers, and restaurant employees, directly contradicting the president’s stated immigration agenda.
“I think it’s really sad because these decisions are targeting exactly the kind of people that Republican voters said that they did not want targeted in the Trump administration’s immigration policy,” Ocasio-Cortez remarked.
She further elaborated on her concerns, asserting that the termination of TPS represents a significant departure from President Trump’s pledge to only pursue those who commit crimes. The congresswoman highlighted that the affected individuals include those working in critical sectors like healthcare and the service industry.
“This decision to overturn TPS targets nurses, it targets health care workers, it targets domestic workers, cleaners, people who work in restaurants,” she stated, emphasizing that this action constitutes “a real betrayal of President Trump’s promise.”
Ocasio-Cortez also raised concerns about the potential economic repercussions for American citizens, suggesting that the deportations could lead to increased prices and difficulties in finding workers. Additionally, she noted the social impact of separating families and dismantling established communities.
Meanwhile, House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., also voiced strong criticism regarding the asylum ruling. He accused President Trump and Republicans of repeatedly undermining a legal process that has been an integral part of U.S. law for decades.
“People are fleeing terrible conditions, and they have a lawful right to declare asylum,” Aguilar stated, underscoring the humanitarian aspect of asylum claims.
White House deputy press secretary Abigail Jackson defended the administration’s stance, asserting that Temporary Protected Status was designed to be temporary and not a pathway to permanent residency or citizenship. She argued that the asylum system has been exploited by “bad actors” and that the recent ruling is a necessary step towards reforming the system.
“Temporary Protected Status was always meant to be temporary,” Jackson said on Thursday. “It was never meant to be a pathway to permanent status or citizenship…our asylum system, for years, has been abused and exploited by bad actors…this ruling is a step in the right direction towards clearing up our asylum system and making sure that people can’t enter our country who shouldn’t be here — and that people who are here, who shouldn’t be here, should be deported.”
When questioned about the Democrats’ next steps concerning TPS, Aguilar pointed to legislative efforts. He mentioned that Democrats had successfully passed legislation in the House aimed at providing certainty for TPS recipients, but the bill was currently awaiting action in the Senate.
“Democrats led legislation in order to bring certainty to that. It’s sitting over in the Senate,” Aguilar explained. “We forced a discharge petition, and were successful because we believe in governing.”
Aguilar was likely referring to House-passed legislation intended to extend TPS protections for Haitians, a bill that faced opposition from some Republicans.
Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Ala., acknowledged that he had not yet reviewed the full court decisions but expressed a sense of resignation regarding judicial outcomes. Figures defended the continued application of TPS for Haiti, citing the persistent natural disasters, political instability, and violence in the country.
“There’s not a country that I think TPS is designed at its core that’s more deserving of that than the situations we currently see in Haiti,” Figures commented.
