Trump Ends Temporary Protected Status for Somali Immigrants in Minnesota

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali immigrants living in Minnesota, framing the decision as part of his broader immigration crackdown and a supposed crime-prevention effort.

In a post on his Truth Social account, Trump declared he was “hereby terminating, effective immediately, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS Program) for Somalis in Minnesota,” accusing “Somali gangs” of harming local residents. “Send them back to where they came from. It’s OVER!” he wrote.

TPS shields eligible immigrants from deportation and permits them to work in the United States. It is granted to nationals of countries facing war, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions that make returning unsafe.

Minnesota is home to one of the largest Somali communities in the world outside Somalia, a country that has faced decades of unrest. According to Congressional records, 705 Somali nationals had approved TPS applications as of March 31, while the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) estimated that approximately 4,300 more could become newly eligible if the program were extended.

Somalis first received TPS designation in 1991. The program was most recently renewed in July 2024 due to ongoing instability and conflict—including the government’s ongoing battle against Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab, which launched a new offensive earlier this year.

Trump’s administration has aggressively moved to roll back protections for several TPS-designated groups, including Afghans, Haitians, Venezuelans, South Sudanese, and others. These actions have repeatedly faced legal challenges, and the latest directive targeting Somalis is also expected to be contested in court.

In a separate policy shift, the U.S. government announced plans to reduce refugee admissions to 7,500 for fiscal year 2026, a steep drop from the more than 100,000 accepted annually under President Joe Biden.

Trump also used his Friday post to attack Minnesota’s Democratic Governor Tim Walz—accusing him of “laundering activity” without providing evidence—and revived past criticism of Representative Ilhan Omar, telling the Somali-born congresswoman to “go back” to her home country.

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