U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his administration plans to revoke the citizenship of any naturalized immigrant from Somalia — or any other country — who is convicted of defrauding American citizens, framing the move as part of a broader immigration crackdown.
“We’re also going to revoke the citizenship of any naturalized immigrant from Somalia or anywhere else who is convicted of defrauding our citizens,” Trump said during remarks at the Detroit Economic Club.
The comment comes as the administration takes additional steps affecting Somali immigrants. On Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the U.S. will end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for roughly 1,100 Somalis currently covered by the program.
Noem said the department believes conditions in Somalia have improved enough that the designation is no longer justified under the law, even as the country continues to face instability and conflict involving al-Shabaab militants.
“Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law’s requirement for Temporary Protected Status,” Noem said in a statement. “Further, allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interests. We are putting Americans first.”
The TPS change is set to expire March 17 unless it is blocked or delayed through legal action.
Trump has repeatedly criticized Somali immigrants in recent comments, at times using harsh language and accusing some of fraud in Minnesota, which is home to an estimated 76,000 Somalis. The administration has also deployed more than 2,000 federal immigration agents to the state amid allegations tied to fraudulent daycare activity involving some individuals.
Trump also pointed to immigrant welfare usage in a post, sharing a chart listing recipient rates by country of origin. The top three listed were Bhutan at 81.4%, Yemen Arab Republic (North) at 75.2%, and Somalia at 71.9%.
Even with the administration signaling a push to expand denaturalization efforts, such cases can be difficult to pursue, often requiring substantial resources and lengthy legal proceedings.
