There are a few Democrats who might need to open a dictionary in light of Thursday’s news from the Supreme Court.
The court issued a 6-3 decision in Mullin v. Doe, overturning lower court rulings that block the Trump administration from ending Temporary Protected Status for 350,000 Haitians and 4,000 Syrians.
That decision can be read here.
What is TPS? The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services explains, “The Secretary of Homeland Security may designate a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily prevent the country’s nationals from returning safely, or in certain circumstances, where the country is unable to handle the return of its nationals adequately.”
That sounds straightforward enough, unless you’re a leftist who thinks “temporary” means “for as long as they want.”
California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla complained, “The Supreme Court has once again gotten it wrong, breaking from the spirit of the law and Congress’ intent. In a massive blow to our communities, they just greenlit Trump’s plan to strip TPS from thousands of people who have fled humanitarian crises, some who have been living and working in the US for decades.”
Padilla was apparently unaware that “temporary” doesn’t go hand-in-hand with “decades.”
“This is devastating to people who have built their lives here,” he continued. “I will not stop fighting for a pathway to citizenship for families across America.”
The Supreme Court has once again gotten it wrong, breaking from the spirit of the of the law and Congress’ intent. In a massive blow to our communities, they just greenlit Trump’s plan to strip TPS from thousands of people who have fled humanitarian crises, some who have been… https://t.co/OPL8UvOOXq
— Senator Alex Padilla (@SenAlexPadilla) June 25, 2026
He was joined by New York Democratic Rep. Nydia Velazquez, who wailed, “More than 40,000 New Yorkers and 350,000 people nationwide are now at risk of deportation because this far-right Supreme Court is abandoning the law and basic decency. TPS holders belong here. Congress must pass the Dream and Promise Act and create a pathway to citizenship.”
More than 40,000 New Yorkers and 350,000 people nationwide are now at risk of deportation because this far-right Supreme Court is abandoning the law and basic decency.
TPS holders belong here. Congress must pass the Dream and Promise Act and create a pathway to citizenship. https://t.co/We9NiZtHTY
— Rep. Nydia Velazquez (@NydiaVelazquez) June 25, 2026
Again, note the language of “TPS holders belong here.”
And they’ve been here. Time to go home.
New York democratic socialist candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier was equally baffled by what words mean when she wrote, “In the stroke of a pen, people who have raised their children in our communities, who work and go to school here, find themselves facing potential deportation to countries they have fled; that are so dangerous that the US State Department deems them ‘no travel’ zones for Americans.”
Today the Supreme Court authorized this administration to end TPS for 350,000 Haitians and 6,000 Syrians, imperiling the lives of all 1.3 million holders of this status.
In the stroke of a pen, people who have raised their children in our communities, who work and go to school…
— Darializa for Congress (@DarializaforNY) June 26, 2026
The Cambridge Dictionary defines temporary as, “not lasting or needed for very long.”
Other X users were quick to help these officials in their confusion.
One, replying to Padilla, wrote, “It’s just weird how Democrats think that words don’t really mean anything. I always thought ‘temporary’ meant not lasting forever.”
It’s just weird how Democrats think that words don’t really mean anything. I always thought “temporary” meant :not lasting forever.” https://t.co/ZxxwsEUxht
— Austin Cole (@SeizerPouncicus) June 26, 2026
Another observed that words matter. “BREAKING: SCOTUS rules that the plain meaning of words like ‘temporary’ and ‘arrive’ actually matters.”
BREAKING: SCOTUS rules that the plain meaning of words like “temporary” and “arrive” actually matters.
— Marc Thiessen (@marcthiessen) June 26, 2026
The “T” in “TPS” does matter, even if Democrats willfully refuse to see that.
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