Rep. Moulton, in an exclusive interview with CTN, provides new details on the TPS Relief Act
Rep. Seth Mouton on the TPS Relief Act in an exclusive interview with CTN: « The bill does not order courts to reinstate TPS — it gives them the legal authority to review the decision and decide for themselves whether the administration acted lawfully. »
The interview covered Moulton’s time in Haiti, his bill’s prospects, and economic stakes for Massachusetts and the nation. It also covered his U.S. Senate campaign and named House Speaker Mike Johnson as the main obstacle. Moulton was candid about the challenge but committed to the effort. He was clear that he would not give Haitian families false hope. Before discussing legislation, Moulton shared the personal roots of his support for his Haitian community.
To provide context for that commitment, it is important to understand Moulton’s background. A Marine Corps veteran with four combat tours in Iraq, Moulton went to Haiti after his service as a civilian volunteer.
“Just after my military service, I went to Haiti as a civilian volunteer. I wanted to help and understood Haiti’s deep relationship with the United States. I witnessed the devastation of the horrific earthquake,” he said. “I went with doctors, mostly orthopedic surgeons from Boston, to help and save lives.”
That experience shapes how he views the current crisis. He explained, “Our own State Department in the United States has said that it’s not safe for Americans to travel to Haiti. Because of situations like this, we have a provision in the law, called temporary protected status, that exists exactly for nations like Haiti, where people need a safe refuge. Furthermore, America has a long history, written on the base of the Statue of Liberty, of being a destination for immigrants and a safe haven for people all across the world.”
The centerpiece of the interview was Moulton’s introduction of the TPS Relief Act. He filed it on June 29, 2026, as H.R. 9523, just days after the Supreme Court’s 6-3 ruling in Mullin v. Doe. The ruling stripped federal courts of the authority to review executive branch decisions terminating TPS. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee.
The Supreme Court’s ruling did not merely limit courts. It held that, under current law, courts lack the power to review TPS termination decisions. Moulton’s bill would change the law to explicitly give courts that power and require them to exercise it. “Unfortunately, the Supreme Court just said that the administration can get away with this cruelty because it’s not required for the court to review this decision,” Moulton said. “The Supreme Court said it’s just beyond our power. So this piece of legislation — the TPS Relief Act — will restore that power and will tell the court very explicitly that you must review these decisions.”
“What’s beautiful about the TPS Relief Act is it’s very simple. It just says the court should review this decision. The current law, at least as interpreted by the Supreme Court, says they can’t review the decision. Our law changes that. It says: not only can you, but you should.”
He was careful to frame the bill not as a guaranteed win for TPS holders. Instead, he described it as a restoration of the process. “We think this should be acceptable because it’s not predetermining what the result is. It’s just saying you should have a review. The administration should not be able to make this decision on its own. That’s a very reasonable thing to do.”
In other words, the bill does not order courts to reinstate TPS. Instead, it gives them the legal authority to review the decision and decide for themselves whether the administration acted lawfully. That is the distinction Moulton emphasized repeatedly.
According to his official press release, the ruling directly threatens approximately 330,000 Haitian nationals and 3,800 Syrian nationals. It also effectively forecloses future legal recourse for TPS holders from Lebanon, El Salvador, Sudan, Ukraine, and other countries the Trump administration has targeted.
He also emphasized the bill’s reach beyond Haiti. “It applies not just to the situation in Haiti but to every place where the administration may consider taking back or rescinding TPS. It will force a review. We can have an honest second opinion from the judiciary about whether their decisions are right.”
https://ctninfo.com/representative-moulton-introduced-a-bill-that-would-give-courts-the-power-to-review-haitian-tps-rulings/
