DHS Ends Temporary Protected Status for Somali Nationals

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has terminated Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals amid a probe into extensive welfare fraud in Minnesota. Those currently in the U.S. under TPS may face deportation after March 17 if they lack other legal status.

DHS encourages these individuals to report their exit from the U.S. via the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home mobile app, which offers a complimentary ticket and a $1,000 departure incentive.

Somalia was initially designated for TPS in 1991 due to ongoing armed conflict and has had its status renewed several times, with claims of “extraordinary and temporary circumstances.” Initially, TPS was provided after the fall of Somalia’s dictatorship in the early 1990s, which left the country without a stable government for years.

However, in 2013, the U.S. officially acknowledged Somalia’s new government, reestablishing diplomatic ties in 2016 by sending an ambassador. At a United Nations General Assembly meeting in September, Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud highlighted significant advancements in addressing terrorism and improving national security.

The DHS remarked that President Mohamud’s statements reinforce the idea that there is no longer an ongoing armed conflict in Somalia. The country is now experiencing issues more localized rather than nationwide, which led to the decision to end TPS.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem concluded that the current situation allows for the safe return of Somali nationals and argued that allowing them to stay in the U.S. poses security risks. “Temporary means temporary,” she stated, emphasizing that the improved conditions in Somalia no longer justify TPS.

As of recent counts, there are around 1,082 approved Somali TPS recipients, with an additional 1,383 applications pending. Noem reiterated that maintaining Somali TPS nationals in the U.S. is not aligned with national interests, underscoring the priority of putting Americans first.