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United States President Donald Trump has intensified his anti-immigration push — and this time Somalia is directly in his crosshairs. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said the US “did not want immigrants from countries that are not friendly to us… countries like Somalia,” doubling down on rhetoric that has already alarmed refugee communities and rights groups.
Minnesota, home to the largest Somali population in the US, has become a particular focus. Trump vowed to end Temporary Protected Status for Somali residents and used his Thanksgiving message to repeat claims that “hundreds of thousands of refugees from Somalia are completely taking over” the state. He also accused “Somalian gangs” of roaming the streets, while targeting Governor Tim Walz and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar.
The remarks fit into a broader crackdown on immigration — legal and illegal — as the Trump administration pushes what it now calls “reverse migration.” The president has pledged to strip millions of immigrants of their legal status and “permanently pause” migration from all “Third World Countries.”
The new wave of threats came days after an Afghan national was arrested for shooting two National Guard members in Washington, a case Trump has repeatedly cited to justify sweeping restrictions. The US State Department has halted asylum decisions and paused visas for travellers using Afghan passports.
For Somali communities — many of whom fled war, insecurity, and economic hardship — the rhetoric adds new uncertainty. Analysts note that the unemployment crisis in Somalia has long pushed young people to seek opportunity abroad. Now, they face a political climate in the US that is increasingly hostile.
Why this matters for Africa
Anti-African immigrant narratives are nothing new in global politics, but when they come from the world’s most influential destination country, they shape perception, policy, and diaspora safety. The Somali diaspora is one of Africa’s strongest global communities — entrepreneurial, resilient, and central to remittances that sustain families back home. What happens to them abroad inevitably impacts development at home.
Africa’s next challenge is clear: strengthening economies so migration becomes a choice, not a necessity, and ensuring African voices abroad are protected, respected, and never weaponised for politics.