Trump Ends Somali TPS, Threatens Deportations From Minnesota
President Donald Trump has moved to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals and signalled that those living in Minnesota could face removal, escalating his administration’s hard line on immigration and sharpening tensions with one of the state’s largest immigrant communities.
Trump said the protections, in place since 1991, would end “immediately,” accusing Somali immigrants of contributing to rising crime and fraud in Minnesota.
He claimed the state had become “a hub of criminal activity,” alleging widespread money-laundering schemes and gang-related violence.
His remarks drew swift pushback from community leaders and legal experts, who noted that TPS covers only a small number of Somalis but warned the rhetoric could have broad consequences.
TPS for Somalia was first granted more than three decades ago as the country descended into civil war.
The designation has been renewed by successive administrations as insecurity, drought and extremist violence continued to make return unsafe.
The programme allows beneficiaries to live and work legally in the United States but does not provide a path to permanent residency.
The most recent renewal had extended protection through March 2026.
Trump’s move fits a wider pattern of attempts to scale back humanitarian protections.
He has previously sought to end TPS for Haitians, Venezuelans, Afghans, Syrians and South Sudanese nationals, efforts that triggered a series of legal challenges.
Courts have blocked or delayed some of those cancellations, ruling that the administration failed to follow required procedures or relied on flawed justifications.
Immigration lawyers said Trump’s latest declaration may not take immediate legal effect without a formal notice in the Federal Register, a step traditionally required to withdraw TPS.
It is also unclear whether a president can legally terminate protections selectively for people in a specific state rather than nationwide.
The decision has revived Trump’s long-running clashes with Rep Ilhan Omar, the Somali-born Minnesota Democrat who has been one of his most frequent targets.
Trump has repeatedly questioned her loyalty, told her to “go back” to Somalia and accused her of undermining American values.
Omar has called his comments racist and warned that they endanger immigrant communities.
Minnesota hosts the largest Somali population in the United States, and community leaders say Trump’s announcement has already triggered fear among families who have lived in the country for decades.
They warn that even a small number of TPS cancellations could open the door to wider enforcement actions and uncertainty for thousands more.
gandae@businessdayafrica.org