A group of Somali immigrants and advocacy organisations has filed a lawsuit against the administration of US President Donald Trump over its plan to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals, a decision that could lead to the deportation of more than 1,000 people.
Filed in a federal court in Boston on March 9, the complaint argues that the decision was procedurally flawed and driven by discriminatory intent. The plaintiffs include four Somali nationals and two advocacy organisations — African Communities Together and the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans.
TPS is a US programme that allows migrants from countries affected by conflict, disasters or persecution to live and work legally in the United States without facing deportation. The protection was first granted to Somalia in 1991 during the country’s civil war and was last extended in 2024.
The Trump administration, however, announced plans to end the status earlier this year. Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem argued that conditions in Somalia had improved, suggesting that Somali migrants could return home.
The lawsuit also points to controversial remarks attributed to Donald Trump about Somali migrants, comments that have drawn widespread condemnation in the United States and abroad.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, 1,082 Somalis currently hold TPS, while more than 1,300 additional applications remain pending. The case comes as the administration seeks to end TPS protections for migrants from several countries, including Ethiopia, South Sudan, Cameroon and Haiti.
The United States is home to over 260,000 people of Somali descent, many of whom live in Minnesota, where the community has grown increasingly visible in public life and politics.
Source: Newstimehub
