President Donald Trump has announced his administration is immediately ending deportation protections for Somali nationals residing in Minnesota, a state that is home to the nation’s largest Somali community. This declaration, made via his social media platform, has triggered widespread alarm, legal questions, and political backlash.
The protections in question are granted under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a federal designation first extended to Somalia in 1991 during the George H. W. Bush administration due to civil conflict and instability.
The Rationale: Fraud and Gang Activity
In a late-night post, Trump sharply criticized Minnesota’s political leadership and claimed the state had become a hub for large-scale financial fraud and alleged gang activity. He specifically claimed that certain Somali groups are involved in criminal activity and that substantial amounts of money are unaccounted for, asserting that these issues justify terminating TPS specifically for Somalis within Minnesota.
His announcement follows the release of investigative reports detailing a series of massive fraud cases in the state. These scandals include the high-profile “Feeding Our Future” prosecution—one of the largest fraud cases connected to pandemic relief funds in U.S. history—as well as alleged misuse of public funds and irregularities in Medicaid-related programs.
In the “Feeding Our Future” case, prosecutors allege that dozens of individuals falsely claimed to provide meals to children during the COVID-19 pandemic, diverting federal reimbursements—potentially hundreds of millions of dollars—for personal luxury purchases. Recent court records show multiple defendants have pleaded guilty in connection with these schemes. For example, one Minnesota businessman admitted to allowing a fraudulent meal distribution site to operate out of his property in exchange for illicit payments.
These controversies have intensified federal scrutiny of Minnesota’s government programs, with officials examining how certain state initiatives grew rapidly in cost and were allegedly exploited for financial gain.
Legal Hurdles and Political Outcry
Trump’s declaration has been met with immediate and significant legal questions. Immigration experts emphasize that TPS is a national, federal program and cannot typically be selectively revoked for a single state or community. They argue that any change to a TPS designation would require a formal process involving a determination by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that conditions in the designated home country (Somalia, in this case) are safe enough for return, followed by official publication in the Federal Register—steps that were not immediately documented after the President’s social media statement. Legal experts stated there is no mechanism for a President to terminate TPS for only one state.
The announcement has also drawn strong reactions from civil rights groups, Minnesota officials, and members of the Somali community, who have condemned the action as politically charged and potentially devastating to thousands of residents who have built lives in the state.
TPS allows eligible immigrants from designated countries to live and work legally in the U.S. and protects them from deportation. The most recent TPS designation for Somalis was extended under the previous administration and remains valid until March 2026, creating deep uncertainty for those who rely on the program.
