In a significant policy shift, President Donald Trump has directed thousands of Somali nationals to exit the United States. This decision follows the termination of Temporary Protective Status (TPS) for Somalia, a move that affects many Somalis residing in the U.S. under this program. The deadline for their departure is set for March 17. According to sources from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), approximately 2,500 Somalis are currently in the U.S. under TPS, with nearly 1,400 of them having pending applications.

In Minnesota, where an estimated 24 percent of the Somali TPS holders reside, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has recently intensified deportation efforts. Somalia’s longstanding instability, marked by clan divisions, insurgency, and humanitarian crises, has persisted since the collapse of its central government in the early 1990s. This turmoil led to Somalia being granted TPS in January 1991. The status was later renewed by former President Joe Biden in 2024, aiming to provide continued protection to those fleeing the country’s dire conditions.

The Trump administration’s decision to revoke these protections has been fueled by a fraud scandal involving the Somali community in Minnesota. Over 85 individuals have been charged with fraud-related offenses, with President Trump highlighting the alleged misappropriation of $18 billion. This scandal has cast a spotlight on Minnesota’s Somali community, drawing national attention and raising concerns about the integrity of state leadership amidst these allegations.

The outcry prompted Minnesota’s Democratic Governor Tim Walz to drop his reelection bid, which he did last week, before an ICE officer shot an unarmed woman, further propelling Minnesota into the news. ‘We’re getting rid of a lot of people that are criminals that shouldn’t be in our country,’ Trump said of his deportation efforts on Tuesday morning. ‘They came in through Biden’s open borders, and we’re getting them out of our country. That’s why our crime numbers are so good. We have record-low crime numbers.’

Somalians were viewed least favorably compared to other immigrant groups in the J.L. Partners poll. In fact, they were the only group that polled in negative territory. Thirty percent of registered voters said Somali immigrants made a bad impact on the United States. That’s higher than the 24 percent who said they made a good impact and the 29 percent who viewed the community neutrally.

Haitians, Colombians, Venezuelans, Chinese, Africans, Filipinos, Mexicans, Indians, British and Europeans all polled more positively. For years, President Donald Trump has slammed Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, the highest-profile member of the community, mocking her at a rally-like event in Pennsylvania in December for wearing a ‘little turban.’