The US Supreme Court's conservative justices on Wednesday appeared sympathetic to the Trump administration's efforts to strip Temporary Protected Status (TPS) from over 350,000 Haitians and 6,100 Syrians, signaling a likely ruling in favor of the government.

TPS allows migrants from countries affected by war, natural disasters, or other catastrophes to live and work in the US as long as it is unsafe to return. Haitians were granted TPS after the 2010 earthquake, while Syrians were added in 2012 amid the civil war. The State Department currently advises against all travel to both countries, issuing Level 4 warnings.

The Trump administration has been attempting to revoke TPS for 13 of the 17 designated countries. During his campaign, Trump vowed to end TPS for Haitians, falsely claiming they were eating pets in Ohio. The court's decision could reshape congressional maps in favor of Republicans ahead of the November midterm elections.

In a separate ruling Wednesday, the Supreme Court sharply limited the use of race in drawing electoral districts, striking down a Louisiana map that created a second majority-Black district as an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. Justice Samuel Alito wrote for the majority that compliance with the Voting Rights Act could not justify racial lines.

Liberal Justice Elena Kagan warned in dissent that the decision risks allowing states to systematically dilute minority voting power without legal recourse. The impact on the November midterms remains unclear, with Louisiana's primary set for May 16. Both parties are actively redrawing maps to shift the balance of power in Congress.

Source: www.dw.com