Donald Trump declared Friday he’s ending temporary protections shielding Somali immigrants in Minnesota from deportation, framing the move as crime prevention while dramatically escalating his administration’s immigration crackdown.
“I am hereby terminating, effective immediately, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS Program) for Somalis in Minnesota,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, accusing “Somali gangs” of harming local communities. “Send them back to where they came from. It’s OVER!” he added.
The decree strips protections from holders who have lived legally in the United States under a program designed for people facing danger if returned to their home countries due to war, natural disaster or extraordinary circumstances. TPS prevents deportation and authorizes employment for beneficiaries.
Minnesota hosts one of America’s largest Somali populations outside the East African nation, which has endured decades of armed conflict. Congressional records show approximately 705 Somalis held approved TPS applications as of March 31st, with the Department of Homeland Security estimating roughly 4,300 individuals could have become newly eligible had the program been extended.
Somalia first received TPS designation in 1991. The status was most recently extended in July 2024 “due to conditions in Somalia that prevent individuals from safely returning,” according to DHS. The country fought a devastating civil war throughout the 1990s and has battled Al-Qaeda-linked militant group Al-Shabaab since the mid-2000s. The insurgents launched a fresh offensive early this year.
Trump’s administration has systematically dismantled temporary protections across multiple nationalities, stripping TPS from Afghans, Haitians, South Sudanese, Venezuelans and nationals of several other countries as part of a sweeping immigration crackdown.
The terminations face numerous legal challenges, and Trump’s latest directive targeting Somalis is expected to reach courts similarly. Immigration advocates argue the president lacks authority to unilaterally revoke protections Congress authorized, particularly without demonstrating that conditions in affected countries have sufficiently improved to permit safe return.
Under separate policy changes, the United States plans to slash refugee admissions to 7,500 in fiscal year 2026—down from over 100,000 annually under Joe Biden’s administration. The reduction represents among the lowest caps in modern American history.
Trump’s Friday post also attacked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat, accusing him of “laundering activity” without providing evidence for the allegation. The president has repeatedly targeted the state’s Somali community and its elected representatives, including Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, whom he’s urged to “go back!” to Somalia despite her status as a naturalized U.S. citizen representing Minnesota’s Fifth District.
The termination creates immediate uncertainty for thousands of Somali families who’ve built lives in Minnesota over decades, many arriving as children or establishing businesses, raising families and becoming integral community members. Without TPS protection, they face potential deportation to a country many haven’t seen in years and where security conditions remain precarious.
Somalia continues experiencing violence from Al-Shabaab, which controls rural territories and regularly attacks urban centers including the capital Mogadishu. The group targets government installations, international organizations and civilians through suicide bombings, assassinations and armed assaults. Returnees, particularly those perceived as having Western ties, face heightened risk.
Trump provided no timeline for deportations or details about how DHS would implement the termination. Previous TPS revocations have triggered litigation that delayed removals for years while courts evaluated whether the cancellations violated administrative procedures or contradicted country conditions assessments.
Immigration attorneys expect similar legal challenges here, arguing Somalia’s ongoing conflict and Al-Shabaab threat constitute exactly the extraordinary circumstances TPS was designed to address. Whether courts will block implementation while litigation proceeds remains uncertain.
For Minnesota’s Somali community, Friday’s announcement compounds anxiety that’s mounted throughout Trump’s second term as immigration enforcement has intensified. Families face decisions about whether to relocate to countries still offering refuge, prepare for potential deportation, or hope legal challenges will preserve their status.
The broader refugee admission cuts announced separately will drastically reduce pathways for Somalis and other displaced populations seeking American resettlement. The 7,500 cap applies globally across all refugee populations, meaning competition for limited slots will intensify dramatically.
Trump’s justification citing “Somali gangs” mirrors rhetoric he’s deployed against other immigrant communities, attributing crime to foreign-born populations despite research showing immigrants commit offenses at lower rates than native-born Americans. No evidence accompanied his gang claims, and Minnesota crime statistics don’t support assertions that Somali immigrants drive local violence.
The termination represents Trump’s most direct assault yet on a specific immigrant community in a specific location, singling out Minnesota’s Somalis in ways that immigration advocates warn could incite discrimination and violence against a vulnerable population.