DHS abruptly ends protection from deportation for all Somali illegal immigrants

Published January 13, 2026 10:17am ET



The Trump administration has abruptly ended protection from deportation, known as temporary protected status, for all illegal immigrants in the United States from Somalia who had been covered under the government program, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem decided that “allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interests,” according to a statement given to the Washington Examiner Tuesday morning, giving Somalis in the TPS program two months’ warning before Immigration and Customs Enforcement could show up looking for them.

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