In a recent announcement, President Donald Trump has pledged to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali immigrants in Minnesota, stirring fear among the state's Somali community. The President claimed in a late Friday Truth Social post that he would immediately strip the protections, designed to shield individuals from deportation due to unsafe conditions in their home countries.
The proposed action has sparked immediate backlash from community leaders and immigration experts. They argue that Trump's directive lacks legal foundation and is merely an attempt to instigate fear within Minnesota's Somali population—the largest in the U.S.
Heidi Altman, policy director at the National Immigrant Justice Center, expressed concerns stating, There’s no legal mechanism that allows the president to terminate protected status for a particular community or state that he has beef with.”
Furthermore, the Trump administration has until mid-January to formalize this decision, though total revocation would only affect a negligible portion—705 individuals—of the tens of thousands of Somalis living in Minnesota. Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar criticized the move, emphasizing that the majority of Somalis are citizens, and the announcement serves little practical change.
Advocates worry that this action could exacerbate hate and division within the community amidst a backdrop of rising Islamophobia in the U.S. Jaylani Hussein from the Council on American-Islamic Relations described the action as a direct political attack fueled by negative rhetoric surrounding Somali and Muslim populations.
Trump's claims of Somali gangs targeting Minnesota residents and corrupt practices within the community further stoke fears. Despite these claims, experts and local officials such as Governor Tim Walz counter that Minnesota consistently ranks among the safest states in the nation.
Following Trump’s announcement, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison indicated that his office is considering all legal options, highlighting that the president cannot arbitrarily impose such a directive on one state based on prejudice.
Community advocates stress the vital role Somali immigrants play in Minnesota, contributing positively to the state’s economy and diversity. They assert that destabilizing families through the removal of protective statuses ultimately makes everyone less safe.
The ongoing discourse around temporary legal protections for immigrants remains critical as part of broader immigration policy discussions across the United States.
