Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell announced on April 16 that she is co-leading a group of 16 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief to oppose the Department of Homeland Security’s attempt to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali immigrants.
The move highlights concerns about the humanitarian and economic impact that revoking TPS protections could have on Somali nationals living in the United States. The coalition urges the court to postpone any action that would remove these protections, citing risks to both individuals and their communities.
Campbell said, “The Trump Administration’s baseless attempt to revoke legal status from the Somali TPS community is part of a cruel, targeted pattern, and I will continue to stand up for them and any other immigrant group that this Administration chooses to unlawfully harm. I urge the Court to preserve legal status for Somali TPS holders who are an integral part of our communities.”
In November 2025, President Trump announced via social media his intention to immediately terminate TPS for Somalis in Minnesota. Since then, he has made repeated derogatory remarks about Somali immigrants. In January 2026, Kristi Noem, then Secretary of Homeland Security, said Somalia’s TPS designation was being terminated because allowing Somali nationals temporary stay would be contrary to U.S. national interests. As of January 2026, there were 2,471 Somalis with TPS protection in the U.S., along with another 1,383 pending applications.
Somalia was first designated for TPS in 1991 due to ongoing civil war and severe human rights abuses—a situation that persists today according to State Department travel advisories warning against travel due to crime and unrest. The coalition argues ending TPS would force families into difficult choices: separating from their children or taking them back into dangerous conditions.
The attorneys general warn that revoking Somalia’s TPS designation could harm state economies and public safety while disrupting families. Alongside Massachusetts’ Campbell are attorneys general from California, Minnesota, New York, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.
