DHS Ends Somalia TPS — Thousands Lose Protected Status in March

DHS Ends Somalia TPS After 34 Years — What It Means for You

The Department of Homeland Security has announced it is terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalia, ending a protection program that has been continuously in place since 1991. Secretary of Homeland Security determined that Somalia no longer meets the legal conditions for TPS designation. After March 17, 2026, Somali TPS holders will no longer have protected status — and their work authorization will also expire.

What Is TPS and Why Does This Matter?

Temporary Protected Status is a humanitarian immigration benefit that lets nationals of certain countries stay and work in the U.S. when conditions at home — like armed conflict or natural disasters — make it unsafe to return. It does not lead to a green card or permanent residency.

Somalia was first designated for TPS in September 1991, following the collapse of the Siad Barre regime and the country's descent into civil war. The designation has been continuously extended — and twice redesignated — ever since, most recently through March 17, 2026.

Why Is DHS Ending Somalia's TPS?

DHS reviewed current conditions in Somalia and concluded the country no longer meets the legal threshold for TPS designation on two grounds:

1. Armed conflict: While Al-Shabaab continues to operate, DHS argues Somalia is no longer experiencing widespread, nationwide armed conflict. Somalia's own president told the UN in September 2025 that the country is down to "the last remaining pockets of international terrorism."

2. Extraordinary conditions: DHS acknowledges ongoing challenges — including severe drought, 3.4 million people facing acute food insecurity, and continued Al-Shabaab attacks — but concluded these conditions do not prevent Somali nationals from returning safely. The agency cited stability in regions like Somaliland and Puntland, and Mogadishu's ongoing construction boom as evidence of progress.

DHS also invoked the "national interest" standard, determining that allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the U.S. is contrary to U.S. national interests — a broad discretionary determination that encompasses factors like immigration enforcement priorities, economic considerations, and national security.

What Happens to Current TPS Holders?

After March 17, 2026, TPS holders revert to whatever immigration status they held before receiving TPS — if that status is still valid. If you had no other status before TPS, you will be undocumented after the termination date.

Key consequences:

• Your TPS-based Employment Authorization Document (EAD) will no longer be valid.
• You will no longer be protected from deportation under TPS.
• You must have another valid immigration status to remain in the U.S. legally.