Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has announced that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 2,500 Somali nationals will expire on 17 March 2026, giving beneficiaries 14 months to depart the United States or seek an alternative immigration avenue. The decision follows DHS’s country-conditions review, which claims that violence and humanitarian crises in Somalia no longer meet the statutory threshold for TPS.
The move is part of a broader rollback of humanitarian programmes under the current administration; earlier terminations have affected Venezuela, Haiti and Nicaragua. In Minnesota—home to the largest Somali-American community—local officials warn that ending TPS could disrupt healthcare and manufacturing workforces that depend on holders’ employment authorisation documents (EADs). Employers must update I-9 reverification calendars: automatic EAD extensions run only through the termination date.
![DHS to Terminate Temporary Protected Status for Somalia by 17 March 2026]()
For employers or individuals needing help navigating document updates or alternative visa options, VisaHQ offers streamlined application support, real-time tracking, and expert guidance on U.S. immigration processes. Visit https://www.visahq.com/united-states/ to see how the platform can simplify everything from visa petitions to travel-document renewals, ensuring compliance and reducing administrative burden.
Advocacy groups are preparing litigation, arguing that DHS ignored evidence of ongoing Al-Shabaab violence and devastating drought. In previous TPS cases, courts have sometimes issued injunctions that maintain status while lawsuits proceed. A similar scenario could arise here, complicating workforce-planning decisions.
Next steps for HR: identify Somali TPS holders, track EAD validity, and consult counsel about change-of-status strategies (e.g., H-1B, F-1, I-130) well before March 2026. Employers sponsoring green-card PERM cases should consider accelerating recruitment to preserve timelines.
The move is part of a broader rollback of humanitarian programmes under the current administration; earlier terminations have affected Venezuela, Haiti and Nicaragua. In Minnesota—home to the largest Somali-American community—local officials warn that ending TPS could disrupt healthcare and manufacturing workforces that depend on holders’ employment authorisation documents (EADs). Employers must update I-9 reverification calendars: automatic EAD extensions run only through the termination date.
For employers or individuals needing help navigating document updates or alternative visa options, VisaHQ offers streamlined application support, real-time tracking, and expert guidance on U.S. immigration processes. Visit https://www.visahq.com/united-states/ to see how the platform can simplify everything from visa petitions to travel-document renewals, ensuring compliance and reducing administrative burden.
Advocacy groups are preparing litigation, arguing that DHS ignored evidence of ongoing Al-Shabaab violence and devastating drought. In previous TPS cases, courts have sometimes issued injunctions that maintain status while lawsuits proceed. A similar scenario could arise here, complicating workforce-planning decisions.
Next steps for HR: identify Somali TPS holders, track EAD validity, and consult counsel about change-of-status strategies (e.g., H-1B, F-1, I-130) well before March 2026. Employers sponsoring green-card PERM cases should consider accelerating recruitment to preserve timelines.
