The State Department is now reportedly freezing all immigration from Somalia after an internal investigation found that the “vast majority of Somali migrants take welfare once present in the United States,” according to information obtained by Daily Caller. The move marks a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s effort to tighten immigration controls and protect American taxpayers from what officials describe as systemic abuse.
The freeze is expected to remain in effect while the United States Department of State reassesses its immigration processing procedures. According to the department, the goal of the pause is to “prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would become a public charge on the American people.” Officials said the decision follows concerns that existing screening processes were failing to adequately identify migrants likely to rely heavily on government assistance.
Somalia is one of approximately 75 countries from which immigration will be frozen beginning Jan. 21 as part of the broader policy shift. Deputy Principal Spokesperson Tommy Pigott told the Caller that the action reflects President Donald Trump’s commitment to ending exploitation of the U.S. immigration system. Pigott said the administration would no longer tolerate what it views as abuse of American generosity.
“Under President Trump, we will not allow aliens to abuse America’s immigration system and exploit the generosity of the American people,” Pigott said. He added that Somali nationals have entered the United States for years and “extracted wealth from the American taxpayer,” citing what he described as extraordinarily high welfare usage rates. Pigott emphasized that the administration is using the State Department’s long-standing authority to halt immigration when it determines the system is being abused.
The announcement comes as the Somali community has faced heightened scrutiny, particularly in Minnesota, following reports alleging that some members were involved in schemes that stole millions of dollars in taxpayer funds. While those allegations have fueled controversy, federal officials say the immigration freeze is based on broader findings tied to welfare dependency rather than isolated criminal cases.
Minnesota is home to a large Somali population, with about 80,000 Somalis living in the state, according to Minnesota Compass. A majority of that population is foreign-born, and most reside in the Minneapolis area, which has become a focal point of immigration enforcement efforts under the Trump administration.
At the same time, the Department of Homeland Security announced it is ending Temporary Protected Status for Somali nationals currently living in the United States. DHS officials said conditions in Somalia have improved enough that the country no longer qualifies for the designation under U.S. law.
“Temporary means temporary,” said Kristi Noem in a public statement. She said Somalia no longer meets the legal requirements for Temporary Protected Status, clearing the way for the program’s termination.
DHS has also surged additional officers into the Minneapolis region as part of stepped-up enforcement operations. According to officials, deportation officers have already arrested numerous illegal aliens with serious criminal convictions, including child rapists, murderers, and other violent offenders.
Together, the State Department’s immigration freeze and DHS’s enforcement actions signal a coordinated push by the Trump administration to clamp down on immigration programs it says have been misused for years. Administration officials argue the measures are necessary to restore integrity to the system, protect public resources, and ensure that immigration policies serve the interests of American citizens first.
