BREAKING: Trump Administration Ends TPS for Somalia

The Trump administration has officially ended Temporary Protected Status for Somalia, a move that will require thousands of Somali nationals currently living in the United States to leave the country by March 17.

The decision affects roughly 2,471 Somali nationals currently protected under TPS, along with an additional 1,383 individuals whose applications remain pending, according to sources at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Several hundred of those individuals reside in Minnesota, a state that has become a focal point of federal immigration enforcement.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made clear that the administration is following the law as written, not bending it to satisfy activist pressure.

“Temporary means temporary,” Noem told Fox News Digital. “Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law’s requirement for Temporary Protected Status.”

Noem also stressed that continued TPS protections for Somali nationals no longer align with American interests.

“Allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interests,” she said. “We are putting Americans first.”

Somalia was first granted TPS in 1991 amid a prolonged civil war. The designation has been repeatedly extended for more than three decades, including a final extension under President Joe Biden in September 2024.

President Donald Trump’s decision to end the designation marks a return to a stricter interpretation of immigration law and a reversal of Biden-era policies that critics say turned temporary protections into permanent residency pipelines.

The move comes as DHS and ICE continue aggressive enforcement operations in Minneapolis, where federal authorities have uncovered what officials describe as a massive fraud network involving members of the Somali community. Investigators estimate the scheme cost taxpayers nearly $9 billion.

Federal agents recently executed search warrants at Somali-owned businesses, including home health care agencies suspected of abusing federal programs. ICE has confirmed the arrest of Somali illegal immigrants with serious criminal records, including sex offenders.

Approximately 600 Somali nationals currently living in Minnesota are protected by TPS, making the state one of the most impacted by the policy change.

Democrat officials have responded with outrage rather than cooperation.

Minneapolis and St. Paul filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration following a historic ICE enforcement operation in the Twin Cities. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison accused DHS of “targeting” the state, despite overwhelming evidence of fraud and criminal activity tied to illegal immigration.

Ellison claimed federal agents had “sown chaos and terror,” a charge DHS officials flatly rejected.

Tensions escalated further after a deadly encounter during ICE operations in south Minneapolis. Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot after driving her vehicle toward immigration officers, according to DHS.

Secretary Noem labeled Good a “domestic terrorist,” stating that she weaponized her car and attempted to run over an ICE agent after refusing commands to exit the vehicle.

Video footage shows an agent approaching Good’s car and issuing orders before shots were fired. Noem said the officer acted to protect his life and the lives of others on the scene.

The shooting sparked violent unrest across Minneapolis, with agitators blocking streets, erecting barricades, and declaring no-go zones. Local police were largely absent as demonstrators directed traffic and confronted federal agents.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey inflamed tensions further by publicly telling ICE to “get the f out of Minneapolis.” Governor Tim Walz echoed activist talking points, accusing DHS of spreading propaganda.

Despite the riots and political backlash, DHS operations continued.

Federal immigration officers detained demonstrators outside the Bishop Whipple Federal Building as tear gas was deployed to restore order.

Trump administration officials say the response from local Democrats highlights the sharp divide between those enforcing the law and those enabling lawlessness.