Trump Administration Ends Temporary Protected Status for Somali Immigrants

The Trump administration is terminating Temporary Protected Status for Somali immigrants, ending a program that has allowed migrants from the East African nation to live and work in the United States since 1991.

Somalia was first designated for TPS during its civil war and had been extended under every administration since. A Congressional report last year estimated about 700 Somalis hold TPS nationwide, though the exact number in Minnesota is unclear.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said conditions in Somalia have improved enough that the country no longer meets legal requirements for the designation. "Temporary means temporary," Noem said in a statement.

The decision comes as ICE operations in Minnesota have heightened concerns in the state's large Somali community. CAIR-MN Executive Director Jaylani Hussein said his organization has received reports of people with legal status—including I-94s and refugee designations—being detained and transported to facilities in Texas.

"This program has been a lifeline for many people across this country," Hussein said. "It sends a dangerous message that even the most clear humanitarian protections can be dismantled."

CAIR Minnesota and the Advocates for Human Rights are advising non-citizens— and even those with legal status—to have contingency plans in place: arrangements for children, finances, and emergency contacts.