The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Minnesota) today expressed deep disappointment with a federal court ruling allowing the Trump administration’s termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalia to move forward, but it is not the end of the legal challenge to the termination.
On Friday, a federal district court judge in Massachusetts lifted an administrative stay that had temporarily paused the termination while legal arguments proceeded. The underlying legal challenge continues. Plaintiffs have argued that the termination discriminates based on race and national origin, violates the due process rights of Somali TPS holders, and was carried out without proper legal authority.
The ruling could expose Somali TPS holders who have lived and worked in the United States for years to loss of work authorization, detention, deportation, and separation from their families and communities.
In a statement, CAIR-Minnesota Executive Director Jaylani Hussein said:
“This is a deeply disappointing ruling, but it is not the end of the legal challenge. At a time when Somali Americans have faced sustained targeting and attacks from the Trump administration, this decision only deepens the fear and uncertainty facing our community.
“If TPS protections do not apply to Somalia under the conditions it faces today, then we have to ask what remains of the program’s purpose. The U.S. government itself classifies Somalia at Level 4, ‘Do Not Travel,’ its highest danger designation. Somalia represents precisely the kind of extraordinary conditions TPS was created to address.
“Ending these protections sets a dangerous precedent that reaches far beyond Somali TPS holders and threatens the future and integrity of the entire TPS program.”
He said Temporary Protected Status is a humanitarian protection established by Congress for eligible nationals of countries experiencing armed conflict, environmental disasters, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions that make safe return difficult or dangerous.
CAIR-Minnesota urges Somali TPS holders who may be affected by the ruling to consult with a qualified immigration attorney as soon as possible to understand how the decision may affect their individual circumstances and whether other forms of immigration relief may be available.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CONTACT: Jaylani Hussein, Executive Director, CAIR-MN — 612-406-0070 —
[email protected]; Suleiman Adan, Deputy Executive Director, CAIR-MN — 612-408-7183 — [email protected]; CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, [email protected]; CAIR Government Affairs Director Robert McCaw, 202-742-6448, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, [email protected]; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, [email protected]