The Trump administration is ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali immigrants, making it easier to deport thousands of people.
Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law's requirement, US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox News.
TPS prevents US officials from deporting immigrants to countries deemed unsafe. Starting March 17, around 2,500 Somalis will lose their work authorisations and legal status, making them eligible for deportation.
President Donald Trump has made it clear he does not want Somali immigrants in the US and has initiated significant efforts in Minneapolis to detain and deport individuals living in the country illegally.
Noem announced last month a surge of immigration officers in Minnesota, which has a large Somali diaspora community, coinciding with a sprawling federal fraud investigation uncovered issues within the state’s childcare industry linked to Somali immigrants.
Prior attempts to rescind TPS for other nations, including Haiti, faced legal challenges.
This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
