Trump Ends TPS for Somalis in Minneso
US President Donald Trump has abruptly cancelled the Temporary Protected Status granted to Somalis living in Minnesota, framing the move as part of his administration’s broader crackdown on immigration.
Trump announced the directive on Friday through his Truth Social account, declaring an immediate end to TPS protections for Somali nationals in the state and alleging, without evidence, that “Somali gangs” were threatening locals communities.
“Send them back to where they came from. It’s OVER!” he wrote.
TPS shields eligible migrants from deportation and grants them legal access to employment in the United States. The status is normally extended to people fleeing conflict, natural disasters, or other life-threatening conditions in their home countries.
Minnesota hosts one of the largest Somali communities outside the Horn of Africa, with decades of conflict and insurgency in Somalia prompting continued reliance on TPS. Federal records show that 705 Somalis had approved TPS applications as of March, with a further 4,300 expected to qualify if the programme were extended.
The protection, first introduced in 1991, was last renewed in July 2024 after the US Department of Homeland Security concluded that conditions in Somalia remained unsafe.
The country continues to confront Al-Shabaab militants, who intensified their attacks earlier this year.
Trump’s decision forms part of a series of reversals targeting TPS designations for Afghans, Haitians, South Sudanese, Venezuelans and other groups. Many of these actions are already tied up in legal disputes, and immigration experts expect the new directive on Somalis to face similar court challenges.
Alongside the TPS cancellation, the administration has proposed a steep reduction in refugee admissions, cutting next year’s intake to 7,500 — a dramatic drop from the levels maintained under former President Joe Biden.
Trump also used Friday’s post to criticise Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, accusing him of financial misconduct without providing evidence.
He has repeatedly targeted Somalia-born Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar in past remarks, telling her to “go back” to the country.
