Overview
- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the termination, and USCIS instructed Somali TPS holders to leave the United States by March 17, 2026.
- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem defended the move, saying “temporary means temporary” and arguing continued protection is not in the national interest.
- Somalia’s TPS began in 1991 and had been renewed repeatedly for more than 30 years before this decision.
- Advocacy groups warn that long‑time residents with jobs and U.S.-born children could be pushed into deportation proceedings and family separation.
- The administration cited recent fraud investigations and tensions in Minnesota in explaining the policy shift, as Somali community leaders in Maine voiced alarm over the impact.