Federal immigration enforcement has intensified in Minnesota as the Trump administration moves to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalia.
Thousands of Somali nationals nationwide will be required to leave the United States by March 17, and officials in Minnesota are bracing for the policy’s local impact, according to Fox News.
DHS says the termination is part of a broader initiative to reinforce the temporary nature of humanitarian protections and limit long-term reliance on such programs.
The city of Minneapolis has become a focal point amid the enforcement push, following a deadly encounter during a federal operation in south Minneapolis.
DHS said an officer fired in self-defense after a woman drove her vehicle toward agents.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem labeled the incident domestic terrorism, noting that the woman had “weaponized her vehicle” in an attempt to strike an officer.
The shooting sparked unrest in the surrounding neighborhood, where demonstrators erected barricades and blocked streets.
Federal authorities described the area as temporarily off-limits, though they confirmed that enforcement operations continued, leading to additional confrontations between protesters and immigration personnel.
Minnesota’s top officials sharply criticized the federal response. Gov. Tim Walz accused DHS of spreading misleading information, while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey publicly demanded ICE leave the city.
State leaders have argued that the enforcement tactics have destabilized communities and strained public safety resources. (Fox News Digital)
Against this backdrop, the Trump administration officially announced the end of Somalia’s TPS designation.
Noem stressed that the program was intended to be temporary and does not provide permanent residency.
“Temporary means temporary,” she told Fox News Digital, highlighting that conditions in Somalia have improved and continued protection is no longer in the nation’s interest.
Data from DHS and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services indicate that roughly 2,500 Somali nationals currently reside in the U.S. under TPS, with over 1,300 pending applicants.
Minnesota is home to an estimated 600 of these individuals, making it one of the states most directly affected by the policy change.
Somalia was first granted TPS in 1991 after the collapse of its government and ensuing civil war. The designation has been extended repeatedly, most recently in September 2024 under former President Joe Biden.
The current administration’s decision reverses that extension and reflects a nationwide reassessment of temporary protections for foreign nationals.
Under federal law, TPS does not confer permanent residency. Once a designation ends, recipients revert to their previous immigration status and may face removal unless they qualify for other lawful protections.
DHS has emphasized that ending Somalia’s TPS is consistent with its broader goal of reinforcing the temporary nature of humanitarian relief programs.
The policy change comes as Minnesota remains under scrutiny following a nearly $9 billion fraud scheme involving members of the Somali community, which authorities say helped prompt the enforcement escalation.
Officials argue the case illustrates the risks associated with long-term dependence on temporary immigration protections in regions with concentrated TPS populations.
DHS has indicated that the review of other TPS designations nationwide is ongoing, suggesting that additional terminations may occur.
The administration frames these actions as a means to reassert federal authority over immigration enforcement and ensure that humanitarian protections remain temporary.
