- DHS ends TPS for Somalis on March 17.
- Announcement made on Tuesday by DHS.
- Urges Somali community to self-deport now.
TPS is a temporary legal status that is usually given to nationals of nations where extreme instability or war prevents them from returning home.
Because US law, at least in theory, promotes "non-refoulement" , that is, the idea that individuals cannot be returned to a place where they could be killed or seriously injured is frequently extended every few years.
However, there are frequently legal challenges to that clause. The Trump administration's immigration enforcement during the last 12 months has resulted in the cancellation of TPS for a number of people, including Afghans, Syrians, and Venezuelans.
"Temporary means temporary. Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law’s requirement for Temporary Protected Status,"
US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement.
Somalis should notify their departure from the United States using the "Customs and Border Protection Home" smartphone app if they do not want to be arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, the department stated on Tuesday.
"The app is a safe, secure way to self-deport and includes a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus, and the opportunity for potential future legal immigration,"
the statement read.
US President Donald Trump attacked Somali immigration and Ilhan Omar, the sole Somali-American member of Congress, late last year for allegedly seizing control of the state of Minnesota.
With an estimated population of just over 80,000, its major city, Minneapolis, is home to the largest Somali immigrant community in the United States.
"They come from hell, and they complain and do nothing but bitch. We don't want them in our country. Let them go back to where they came from and fix it,"
Trump told reporters.
"I don’t want them in our country. I’ll be honest with you, okay? Somebody said, 'Oh, that’s not politically correct.' I don’t care. I don’t want them in our country. Their country is no good for a reason. Their country stinks, and we don’t want them in our country. I can say that about other countries, too,"
the president added.
In answer to a query about whether Trump believes Minnesota Governor and former Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz should step down due to a Covid-era payment program that was, according to the Department of Justice, cheated by numerous Somalis, he made his remarks.
Since then, a video of a conservative YouTuber knocking on doors has also been circulated in right-wing internet communities.
The president is accused by members of the Somali community, particularly state lawmakers who represent the group, of being "racist" and of targeting Somalis during his first time in office.
But now that the mandate has been renewed, Trump has dispatched hundreds of federal officials, including ICE, to pursue Somalis in Minnesota.
Both broad dread and widespread outrage have resulted from this.
Last Monday, an ICE agent killed Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old American citizen and mother of three.
A cop is seen approaching Good's car, demanding that she open the door, and grasping the handle in footage captured by onlookers and posted on social media.
A second ICE agent in front of the car ran to the side as it started to move forward, pulled out his gun, and fired at least two close-range shots through the side window.
Many eyewitnesses and bystanders contest the Trump administration's assertion that the officer thought there was an immediate threat.
Consequently, the state of Minnesota filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday, claiming that the agents' deployment violated state sovereignty and that "express congressional authorization" was not obtained.
DHS has referred to the complaint as "baseless" in response.
The US government was also sued by the state of Illinois, which Trump had targeted with federal agents a few months prior.
How do Somali TPS beneficiaries re-register before the deadline?
Somali TPS heirs mustre-register during the designated 60- day window using USCIS Form I- 821 to maintain status through the current extension period ending March 17, 2026.
Submit Form I- 821( operation for Temporary Protected Status) online via myUSCIS account or by correspondence to the applicable USCIS bandbox, alongside Form I- 765 for Employment Authorization Document renewal if demanded no I- 821 form figure applies forre-registrants, but biometric($ 85) and I- 765($ 410, figure disclaimer eligible) freights may.
The 2024 re-registration period ran July 22 through September 20 late filers threatened gaps in work authorization despite automatic EAD extensions to March 17, 2026, for timely aspirants. Apply beforehand to avoid backlogs; USCIS processes yield new EADs valid through March 17, 2026, with announcements via correspondence.