WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — The Trump administration is set to terminate the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for Somali nationals next week, a policy change that could strip approximately 1,100 people of their legal right to live and work in the United States.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cited improved conditions in Somalia as justification for ending the program. However, the decision has sparked immediate legal challenges, with four Somali nationals and two migrant-rights organizations filing a lawsuit arguing that the move is unlawful.
Legal and Human Rights Concerns
The plaintiffs contend that the termination of TPS is unconstitutional, alleging that it is driven by racial prejudice rather than an objective assessment of Somalia’s security situation, where ongoing conflict persists between government forces and Al-Shabaab militants.
The advocacy group Muslim Advocates described the policy change as “racism disguised as immigration policy.” The complaint also cites remarks made by President Donald Trump, who has previously mocked Somali migrants, reportedly calling them “trash and low-IQ people,” and in December 2025 stated he wanted to send them “back to where they came from.”
Broader Impact on African Migrants
The organization African Communities Together, which represents African immigrants in the United States, is pursuing separate legal challenges on behalf of nearly 12,000 Cameroonian, Ethiopian, and South Sudanese nationals who also face the potential loss of TPS protections.
For now, the policy change is on hold as the court cases advance, a process that could take months or even years to resolve.
Enforcement and Public Backlash
U.S. immigration authorities have reportedly targeted Somali immigrants in Minnesota and Maine, prompting protests and public outrage nationwide.
Concurrently, prosecutors in Minnesota have been investigating a series of overlapping social service fraud schemes, involving Covid-era food aid, housing, and autism assistance programs. Officials allege that the schemes have cost taxpayers over $200 million, with potential losses reportedly as high as $9 billion, though state authorities say that figure is inflated.
Nearly 100 related cases have been filed, and prosecutors note that the majority of defendants are of Somali descent. To date, approximately 66 individuals have been convicted.
The intersection of TPS termination, ongoing immigration enforcement, and high-profile fraud cases has intensified scrutiny of Somali communities in the United States, raising broader questions about race, immigration policy, and legal protections for vulnerable migrant populations.
