Mamdani says he appealed to Trump on Haitian TPS as New York City dismisses affected workers
The mayor said the city was “forced by federal law” to separate from dozens of municipal employees who lost work authorisation when protection for Haitians ended.
NEW YORK, United States. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said on Monday 10 August that he had personally appealed to President Donald Trump to restore protections for Haitian immigrants, as his administration moved to dismiss city workers who lost their legal authorisation to work after the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
City Hall announced on Friday that it was “forced by federal law” to review the work authorisation of Haitian TPS holders and end the employment of those unable to establish another legal path to work. A spokesperson said on Monday that dozens of municipal employees were affected.
“I spoke to the president prior to that, and I made clear to the president, as I’ve made clear to anyone across the city, the vital importance of TPS,” Mamdani said at an unrelated press conference.
Options for workers
The administration said affected employees were being connected with agency staff to discuss options including “non-disciplinary separation or resignation”, as well as possible reinstatement if TPS is restored or they obtain another form of work authorisation.
They are also being offered free legal consultations and help with health insurance and other resources.
Mamdani defended the timing, saying the city acted only when it believed federal law required it to. “This is not an action that we want to take in any which way or form,” he said.
He said waiting longer could have harmed TPS holders who might hold another legal status, such as a student visa.
The legal background
Trump could grant Deferred Enforced Departure directly through a presidential memorandum, while restoring or redesignating TPS would run through the Homeland Security secretary at the president’s behest.
The dispute follows a 25 June US Supreme Court ruling clearing the way for the administration’s termination of TPS for hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian immigrants. The court held that the TPS statute bars judicial review of non-constitutional challenges to such decisions.
Haiti was first designated for TPS in 2010 after a devastating earthquake. The Trump administration announced in November 2025 that the designation would be terminated.
Mamdani argued that conditions in Haiti remain dangerous and pointed to Haitian New Yorkers’ role in healthcare, construction, hospitality and city jobs.
“We are talking about Haitian New Yorkers who have been truly at the heart of so many of the industries that power this city,” he said.
