Trump Ends TPS for Somali Immigrants in Minnesota
President Donald Trump has announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali immigrants residing in Minnesota. He cited the issue of “billions of dollars unaccounted for” as a key reason for this decision.
In a post on his social media account, Trump described Minnesota, under Governor Walz, as a center for illicit money laundering activities. He stated, “As President, I am hereby immediately ending the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for Somalis in Minnesota. Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of this great state and billions of dollars are unaccounted for.”
The National Immigration Forum defines TPS as a form of protection granted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to eligible individuals who cannot safely return to their home countries due to challenging conditions.
According to a report from City Journal, which Trump referenced, federal counterterrorism sources indicated that stolen funds were sent back to Somalia and ultimately benefited the terrorist group al-Shabab. It was alleged that many fraudulent activities originated within Minnesota’s sizable Somali community.
One source mentioned, “The largest funders of al-Shabaab are Minnesota taxpayers.” This reflects the broader concern regarding the misuse of state funds.
Reports suggest significant amounts of money have been lost due to the state’s welfare system mismanagement. For instance, the Housing Stabilization Services (HSS) program initially paid out $21 million in its first year, but costs soared to $42 million and beyond in subsequent years, with projections indicating continued spikes in spending.
A specific case involved a woman who allegedly defrauded the Early Intensive Developmental and Behavioral Intervention Program out of $14 million through fraudulent autism diagnoses for Somali children.
City Journal noted that investigations revealed financing directed toward al-Shabab, facilitated through “hawala” networks by members of Minnesota’s Somali community.
This investigation unveiled that some of the money was funneled to al-Shabab, with informal networks assisting in this system.
On September 18, a press release detailed that eight individuals faced federal wire fraud charges tied to the HSS scheme. Six of those charged were from Minnesota’s Somali population.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) has urged a deeper investigation into how taxpayer money managed to find its way into the hands of this terrorist organization. In correspondence with the Minnesota District Attorney, Emmer expressed his concerns over the possibility of taxpayer funds being misappropriated in such a devastating manner.
