How has US parole policy for Somali nationals changed in 2024–2025?
Executive summary
U.S. policy toward Somali nationals in 2024–2025 saw an expansion of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under the Biden Administration—an 18‑month extension and redesignation that broadened eligibility to roughly 4,300 additional Somali nationals and extended protections through March 17, 2026 [1] [2]. In late 2025 the Trump Administration publicly announced immediate termination of TPS protections for Somalis in Minnesota, a move legal experts and DHS said conflicted with how TPS works and may be subject to court challenges; available sources show DHS still listed Somalia’s TPS as valid through March 2026 after the announcement [3] [4] [5].
1. 2024 policy: extension and redesignation that widened protections
In July 2024 DHS formally extended and redesignated Somalia for TPS for 18 months beginning Sept. 18, 2024 and ending March 17, 2026; the redesignation moved cutoff dates so that people continuously residing in the U.S. since July 12, 2024 could apply, and DHS estimated about 4,300 additional Somalis would become newly eligible while roughly 600 current beneficiaries could re‑register [1] [2] [6].
2. Administrative mechanics: re‑registration windows and EAD extensions
USCIS set a 60‑day re‑registration window (July 22–Sept. 20, 2024) for existing beneficiaries to retain TPS and employment authorization; the agency also issued guidance on automatic and new Employment Authorization Document (EAD) validity tied to the redesignation and extension [7] [1] [8].
3. Quantities and who is affected: small numerically, large politically
Multiple government and CRS figures show the population actually holding Somalia TPS is small — roughly 600–705 beneficiaries as counted in 2024–2025 — contrasted with tens of thousands of Somali‑origin residents in places like Minnesota; thus policy adjustments legally affect a limited number of people but carry broad political and social consequences [2] [6] [9].
4. 2025 policy shifts under a new administration: public termination of Minnesota TPS
In November 2025 President Trump announced via social media he was “terminating, effective immediately, the Temporary Protected Status (TPS Program) for Somalis in Minnesota.” Multiple outlets reported the statement and related federal enforcement planning, but legal observers and DHS emphasized TPS is a nationwide federal designation and cannot be unilaterally ended only for residents of a single state without formal Federal Register procedures [4] [3] [5].
5. Legal and bureaucratic friction: announcement vs. statutory process
Reports note that TPS terminations normally require formal Federal Register action and typically take effect on the designation’s expiration date rather than “immediately.” Commentators and DHS materials pointed out that public statements alone do not change the Federal Register notice that extended Somalia’s TPS until March 17, 2026, and experts expected litigation challenging abrupt unilateral proclamations [3] [6] [4].
6. Political framing and competing narratives
The Trump Administration framed revocation as a response to fraud and public‑safety concerns, citing high‑profile fraud cases in Minnesota; civil‑rights groups and Democratic leaders called the move politically motivated and Islamophobic, noting most Somalis in Minnesota are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and that TPS targets a narrow population [10] [11] [9].
7. Broader parole and parole‑related policy changes in 2025
Separate from TPS, DHS implemented other parole‑system changes in 2025 — for example, imposing new fees and tightening parole adjudications — indicating an administration‑wide shift to limit discretionary entries and increase vetting; those changes affect parole generally but are distinct from TPS’s statutory protections [12] [13].
8. Limits of available reporting and outstanding questions
Available sources document the 2024 extension/redesignation and the 2025 public termination announcement and reactions, but do not report a finalized Federal Register termination or the outcome of anticipated legal challenges as of these accounts; available sources do not mention final court rulings or an official DHS termination notice taking effect beyond March 17, 2026 [1] [3].
9. What this means on the ground
Practically, the 2024 redesignation opened a pathway for thousands more Somalis to secure temporary protection and work authorization; the 2025 announcement created acute fear and legal uncertainty in Somali communities, prompted local officials to prepare for federal enforcement, and set up likely courtroom fights about whether an administration can annul a nationwide TPS designation selectively or by political announcement alone [8] [5] [3].
Sources cited above provide the documentary record: DHS/USCIS notices and Federal Register action on the 2024 redesignation and extension [1] [6] [7], Congressional Research Service and USCIS counts of beneficiaries [2] [6], and news coverage of the November 2025 announcement and legal reactions [4] [5] [3].