Dr. Jen Kilps on Rulings on Temporary Protected Status

Minnesota has long been a place of refuge. Generations of immigrants, refugees, and people fleeing war, persecution, and violence have found not only safety here but the opportunity to build new lives. They are our neighbors, coworkers, classmates, business owners, and faith leaders. They have helped shape the rich religious diversity that strengthens our state. Today, however, many of these communities are living with profound uncertainty. Changes to Temporary Protected Status (TPS) and new restrictions on access to asylum have left families wondering whether the homes, livelihoods, and communities they have built can endure.

This week the Supreme Court issued two significant immigration rulings that narrow humanitarian protections. Mullin v. Al Otro Lado, the Court upheld the federal government's policy of turning away people seeking asylum at U.S. ports of entry. Mullin v. Doe, the Court ruled that the Trump administration may end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of immigrants from Haiti and Syria many who face life-threatening consequences if forced to return to their country of origin. 

This moment is especially troubling because it challenges a commitment the world made in the aftermath of World War II: that people fleeing persecution should have the opportunity to seek protection. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights affirms in Article 14 that "everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution." Across our religious traditions, this principle resonates with a shared moral conviction that those escaping violence, oppression, or religious persecution deserve compassion rather than exclusion. As access to asylum narrows and humanitarian protections are reduced, many of the world's most vulnerable people—including those persecuted because of their faith—face even greater insecurity.

For the Minnesota Multifaith Network, this is not simply a debate about immigration policy. It is a test of the kind of society we seek to build. Our diverse religious, spiritual, and philosophical traditions teach that every human life possesses inherent dignity and that we are called to care for the stranger and stand alongside those who live in fear. At a time when anxiety and division are reshaping our public life, we believe our deepest values invite us to resist fear with relationship, indifference with solidarity, and exclusion with hospitality. In doing so, we strengthen not only immigrant communities but the moral fabric of Minnesota itself.

Minnesotans are not powerless in the face of these challenges. Each of us can help preserve our state's tradition of welcome by building relationships across cultures and faiths, supporting organizations that accompany refugees and asylum seekers, advocating for policies that uphold human dignity, and speaking out when fear and misinformation threaten our neighbors. Faith communities, civic organizations, and individuals all have a role to play in creating places where newcomers are seen, heard, and valued. By choosing compassion over indifference and courage over fear, we affirm that every person is worthy of dignity, safety, and belonging. In doing so, we not only stand with migrants and those seeking asylum—we strengthen the bonds of trust, justice, and pluralism that make Minnesota a place where all can flourish.

The most important document that makes clear the rights of refugees and asylum seekers is found in the United Nations The 1951 Refugee Convention and 1967 Protocol.

The Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign has shared the following list of resources and statements below for you and your networks, in case they may be helpful in light of these decisions. 



FWD.us - statement and resources

RNS Article: As Supreme Court clears way to deport Haitians and Syrians, faith leaders grieve, prepare for what’s next (indexed in Atlas of American Belonging)

What is happening with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) in the United States" — FAQs from International Refugee Assistance Project 

Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign post

Church World Service (CWS) - roundup of resources and ways to take action

Bend the Arc: Jewish Action 

Muslim Civi Coalition 

Interfaith Immigration Coalition

Muslim Advocates

Muslims for Just Futures

We Are All America

Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

Jewish Council for Public Affairs

National Council of Jewish Women

National Network for Arab American Communities

American Friends Service Committee

Jesuit Refugee Service/USA

Communities United for Status and Protection

CAIR

Center for Constitutional Rights

Human Rights First

CASA

National Immigration Project

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

National Immigration Law Center

National TPS Alliance

Haitian Bridge Alliance