President Donald Trump stunned immigrant communities by announcing the immediate termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali nationals, primarily targeting Minnesota’s large population, via a late-night Truth Social post on November 21, 2025. The move affects roughly 700 Somalis nationwide under the program—established in 1991 amid civil war—revoking deportation safeguards and work authorization after years of extensions, including under Biden. Families in Minneapolis, home to the U.S.’s largest Somali diaspora, reeled as news broke, with schools reporting distraught students and lawyers overwhelmed by panicked calls.​

Trump justified the action by alleging Somali gangs are “terrorizing” Minnesota residents and labeling the state a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity,” citing billions in missing funds from child nutrition programs. Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed DHS review during a Minneapolis visit, noting a mandatory 60-day notice before full revocation, but Trump’s “effective immediately” rhetoric ignited chaos. Somali leaders like CAIR’s Jaylani Hussein decried it as an “Islamophobic political assault,” warning of family separations.​

Immediate Fallout in Key Communities

Minneapolis-Seattle corridors, with robust Somali networks drawn by social services, faced upheaval. Naturalized citizens (73% per Census) remain safe, but TPS holders—recent arrivals fleeing unrest—fear midnight raids. Schools activated crisis teams; businesses halted shifts amid uncertainty. Immigration attorneys reported 500% call surges, swamped by deportation defense prep.​

This echoes Trump’s broader 2025 purge: TPS ended for Venezuelans (600K), Haitians (500K), South Sudanese, and now Somalis, fulfilling campaign vows to deport millions. Green cards from Somalia and 18 “countries of concern” face reexamination, per November 28 orders.​

Legal and Political Realities

TPS, a 1990 congressional tool for crisis-hit nations, requires DHS designation—typically 18 months, often renewed. Trump’s first term slashed protections; SCOTUS upheld travel bans, signaling viability. Critics predict lawsuits: ACLU vows challenges on due process, but 60-day buffers blunt immediacy.​

MAGA hailed “America First” enforcement; Democrats decried fearmongering. Polls show 65% Republican support for restrictions.​

Fictional “Unthinkable” vs. Real Policy Trajectory

The query’s “cover of darkness” erasure paints a dystopian overnight wipeout, but reality unfolds via announcements with procedural delays—Trump’s style: bombastic posts precede formal Federal Register publication. This reveals plausible escalation: TPS as low-hanging fruit in mass deportation blueprint, targeting “third-world” migration pauses.​

Who’s next? Patterns point to Afghans, Syrians, Cubans under Biden expansions; Myanmar/Burma lost protections November 24. Trump’s June proclamations restricted “foreign nationals” for security, paving mass reviews. Cities like Miami (Cubans), NYC (Haitians/Venezuelans) brace; rural hubs like Minnesota feel acute pain.

Broader Implications for Immigration Landscape

This tests Trump’s mandate: post-reelection, rapid-fire orders signal DOGE efficiency, but courts/logistics slow execution. Communities mobilize: Minneapolis vigils demand extensions. Economically, TPS holders fill jobs; abrupt loss disrupts sectors like meatpacking.​

The “fictional” shock underscores real fears—policy as identity erasure. Amid 2026 midterms, it galvanizes bases: enforcement vs. humanity. Future? Expect cascading revocations, lawsuits, and urban turmoil unless Congress intervenes. Trump’s playbook: declare, delay, deport.