Washington DC, United States – Somali leaders in Minnesota are resisting Donald Trump’s proposed termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for immigrants in the state, as the U.S. president accuses them of fraud and gang involvement without providing proof.
The announcement has provoked outrage among the state’s leaders, who argue it constitutes discrimination against their community. Trump’s overnight message singled out Somalis in Minnesota, home to the nation’s largest Somali population. Most Somali residents there possess U.S. citizenship or other legal statuses.
Critics argue that Trump is unjustly singling out Muslims in the U.S., particularly in Minnesota.
In a November 21 post on Truth Social, Trump labeled Minnesota a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” under Democratic Governor Tim Walz.
He asserted, “Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing.” Yet he presented no evidence for the claims or any connection to Somali TPS holders.
“I am, as President of the United States, hereby terminating, effective immediately, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS Program) for Somalis in Minnesota,” he stated, presenting the action as a reaction to alleged crimes and welfare fraud.
State Attorney General Keith Ellison stated that Trump cannot legally end TPS “for just one state or on a bigoted whim” and promised to pursue legal remedies.
In an X post, he described Somalis as “an integral part of our state, our culture, and our community.” He charged the president with using fear-mongering and scapegoating.
Farah Mohamed Ali, a Somali American journalist in Minnesota, explained that the fraud story aims to pit neighbors against one another instead of solving actual issues.
“These accusations are propaganda against the Somali community,” he said.
“The aim is to make other residents suspicious of Somalis and to set communities against one another. No one has any concrete evidence that money has been sent from Minnesota to Al-Shabaab. If such supporters existed here, they would already be in jail.”
“I see these far-right attacks as Islamophobia and racism. They are also an attempt to smear the governor of Minnesota, who is not in the same party and does not share their views on ICE operations,” he added.
The decision has drawn broad criticism from Democratic leaders, including Ilhan Omar, a congresswoman from the state. Trump has frequently targeted Muslims in the country, contributing to his widespread unpopularity globally.
