TPS: Only two African countries remain fully protected as Trump targets Somalians in Minnesota

In just over two weeks, the Trump administration has moved to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for two African countries, sharply narrowing U.S. immigration protections

Following the formal termination of TPS for South Sudan earlier this month, President Donald Trump announced the revocation of TPS for Somali nationals in Minnesota, leaving only Ethiopia and Sudan under the programme.

By ending these protections, the U.S. is signaling a tightening of humanitarian safeguards for African migrants, many of whom have lived in the country for decades.

Trump’s decision regarding Somali TPS, announced in a late-night post on Truth Social, targeted Somali residents in Minnesota, the state with the largest Somali diaspora community in the United States.

Citing unverified claims of gang activity and alleged financial crimes, Trump wrote, “Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing,” while describing Minnesota as a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” under Democratic Governor Tim Walz.

According to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, most Somali residents in Minnesota are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and the total number of Somali-born individuals holding TPS nationwide is limited to just 705.

Importantly, the national Somali TPS designation, extended by the Biden administration through March 17, 2026, remains in effect.

Trump’s announcement specifically targets Somali TPS holders in Minnesota, meaning the wider Somali population under TPS retains their protections.

Earlier this month, the administration formally terminated TPS for South Sudan. A statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) explained that the decision followed an interagency review led by Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who concluded that “conditions in South Sudan no longer meet the TPS statutory requirements.”

The assessment drew on a U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services evaluation of security and humanitarian conditions, in consultation with the Department of State.

DHS encouraged departing South Sudanese nationals to use the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Home Mobile App to report their departure and facilitate what the department called a “safe and secure self-deportation process.”

The initiative offers a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus, and potential eligibility for future legal immigration channels, described by officials as a “humane and orderly conclusion” to the program. Nationals have 60 days to depart voluntarily before deportations begin in early January.

The back-to-back terminations affect thousands of African nationals and reveal the narrowing of U.S. humanitarian protections on the continent, raising concerns among advocacy groups about the future of long-standing immigration safeguards.

The recent developments highlight the increasingly politicized nature of TPS decisions, where state-specific targeting, federal oversight, and unverified claims intersect, creating uncertainty for African communities reliant on U.S. humanitarian protection.