“Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing,” Trump stated.
WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump announced the immediate termination of Temporary Protected Status for Somalis living in Minnesota.
He made the declaration in a late-night Truth Social post on Friday without providing supporting evidence.
“Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing,” Trump stated.
The president called Minnesota a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” under Democratic Governor Tim Walz.
Trump’s decision appears responsive to unverified media reports shared by Republican lawmakers.
These reports suggested the Al-Shabaab militant group benefited from fraud committed in Minnesota.
Governor Walz responded on X, calling the move an attempt to “change the subject” by targeting an entire community.
The TPS program for Somalis was originally established by President George H.W. Bush in September 1991.
It provides government protection to foreign-born individuals who cannot safely return home due to conflict or disasters.
Only 705 Somali-born individuals nationwide currently hold TPS status according to Congressional Research Service data.
Most Somalis in Minnesota are actually U.S. citizens rather than TPS holders.
By comparison, over 330,000 Haitians and 170,000 Salvadorans maintain TPS status nationwide.
Jaylani Hussein of CAIR Minnesota called the decision disappointing given affected Somalis are legal migrants.
“These are legal immigrants and they should not suffer as a consequence of a political football,” Hussein said.
He expressed concern that Trump’s move could tear families apart despite migrants following the law.
Political strategist Abshir Omar, a Trump endorser, predicted the decision would face legal challenges.
Omar warned it could harm economic and strategic relations with Somalia.
Somalia recently offered the U.S. exclusive control of air bases and ports in March.
The East African nation has also expressed interest in energy partnerships with American firms.
The Trump administration has terminated TPS designations for several countries including Venezuela and Nicaragua.
President Biden’s administration had extended Somali TPS eligibility through March 2026. – Reuters
