What You Need to Know
President Donald Trump has announced the immediate termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalians residing in Minnesota, a program that began in 1991. This decision has sparked backlash from local leaders and community advocates, who argue it unfairly targets legal immigrants and could disrupt families.
Africa. President Donald Trump has announced the immediate termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalians residing in Minnesota, accelerating the end of a program that began in 1991 under another Republican president.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great state, and billions of dollars are missing,” without providing any further explanation or evidence.
He declared, “As President of the United States, I hereby terminate, effective immediately, the Temporary Protected Status program for Somalians in Minnesota.”
Trump described Minnesota as a “hub for fraudulent money laundering activities” under Democratic Governor Tim Walz, responding to unverified media reports shared by several Republican lawmakers suggesting that the armed Somali group Al-Shabaab has benefited from fraud committed in Minnesota.
Governor Walz responded on X, saying, “It is not surprising that the president would choose to target an entire community broadly. This is what he does to change the subject.”
Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota also responded on X, writing, “Another threat from Donald Trump late at night, this time targeting individuals in just one state who have legal status. Perhaps the president should spend his evenings working on lowering costs instead of targeting Somalians who have been in our country for years.”
The TPS program for Somalians was initiated by President George H.W. Bush in September 1991. This law provides government protection for eligible foreign-born individuals who cannot safely return to their home countries due to civil war or natural disasters.
Seventeen countries currently benefit from this program, but the Trump administration announced plans to end TPS designations for several countries, including Venezuela and Nicaragua.
Trump’s Democratic successor, Joe Biden, extended TPS eligibility for Somalians until March 17, 2026. Most Somalians in Minnesota are American citizens, with only 705 individuals of Somali descent nationwide holding TPS status, according to a report from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. In comparison, over 330,000 Haitians and more than 170,000 Salvadorans hold TPS.
Jelani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, expressed disappointment over Trump’s decision, noting that the affected Somalians are legal immigrants and that this move could tear families apart. He stated, “These are legal immigrants, and they should not suffer as a result of a political game played against the Muslim community. These individuals have adhered to the law.”
Abshir Omar, a political strategist who supported Trump in the 2024 presidential election, indicated that he expects the decision to be challenged in court. He noted that it could harm the long-term economic and strategic relationship with Somalia, which in March offered the U.S. exclusive control over air bases and ports and expressed interest in partnerships with American companies to explore its vast oil reserves.
The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program was established in 1990 to provide legal protection to individuals from countries experiencing conflict or natural disasters. Initially created under President George H.W. Bush for Somalians in 1991, TPS has been extended multiple times, allowing eligible individuals to remain in the U.S. without fear of deportation. The program currently includes nationals from several countries, but recent administrations have sought to limit its scope, impacting thousands of immigrants.
