Frontier Eye Desk
Washington, D.C.
President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is immediately terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals residing in Minnesota, framing the move as a response to alleged large-scale fraud and criminal activity within the state. The declaration, posted on his official Truth Social account, targets a decades-old humanitarian program that has shielded Somali immigrants from deportation amid ongoing instability in Somalia.
“I am, as President of the United States, hereby terminating, effective immediately, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS Program) for Somalis in Minnesota,” Trump wrote.
He accused the state, led by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz, of being a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity,” alleging that “Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing.”
The announcement comes against the backdrop of Minnesota’s major child-nutrition fraud scandal, including the “Feeding Our Future” case in which millions in federal funds were allegedly diverted.
A recent report by the conservative Manhattan Institute suggested some of the proceeds may have reached Somalia’s Al-Shabaab militant group, though federal authorities have not confirmed such links. Trump did not provide evidence to substantiate his claims.
TPS, created in 1990, is a national designation rather than a state-specific program. Terminations require publication in the Federal Register, and the Department of Homeland Security must unwind the program for all beneficiaries nationwide.
As of March 2025, only 705 Somali nationals across the United States held active TPS status, far fewer than the roughly 87,000 Somali-Americans living in Minnesota.
Immigration experts and attorneys said the President’s action is highly unusual and may not be legally enforceable without a broader federal termination. Julia Decker of the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota noted that “TPS is not a state-by-state program,” and ending it would require DHS to terminate the designation for all Somali TPS holders.
Neither the White House nor DHS has released implementation guidance, leaving the immediate legal effect unclear. Advocacy groups are preparing to challenge the decision, arguing that it violates procedural rules and humanitarian protections.
The announcement triggered swift political backlash. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., a Somali refugee who now represents Minneapolis, responded on X: “I am a citizen and so are majority of Somalis in America. Good luck celebrating a policy change that doesn’t have much impact on the Somalis you love to hate.” Gov. Walz accused the President of “broadly targeting an entire community” to divert public attention from other issues.
Civil rights leaders also condemned the decision. Jaylani Hussein, executive director of CAIR–Minnesota, described it as “a political attack on the Somali and Muslim community driven by Islamophobia,” warning that it could separate families and send individuals back to a country they have not known for decades. Republican leaders in the state praised the move, with House Speaker Lisa Demuth stating she was “glad” the President recognized “the seriousness of the fraud problem.”
Minnesota’s Somali community—the largest in the United States—has become deeply integrated into the state’s economic, cultural, and political landscape over the past three decades.
Trump’s announcement stirred anxiety and confusion within the community, with many seeking clarity on whether the decision has immediate legal consequences. As of Saturday morning, DHS had not provided enforcement details. Immigration courts and legal service providers in Minnesota are preparing for a surge in inquiries as residents attempt to understand the implications.
The decision places Minnesota at the center of a broader national debate over immigration, national security, and presidential authority, intensifying the partisan divide over how the United States should respond to fraud allegations, refugee resettlement, and humanitarian protections.