Friday June 6, 2025
Twin Cities, MN (HOL) – Members of the Somali community in Minnesota have expressed frustration and concern over the latest travel ban announced by former U.S. President Donald Trump, which targets citizens from 12 countries, including Somalia, restricting their entry to the United States starting next month.
The affected nations include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. Additionally, Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela will face partial travel restrictions.
Minnesota, home to over 86,000 Somali immigrants, remains one of the largest hubs for the Somali diaspora in the U.S., and community leaders say they are not surprised by the renewed restrictions.
“There is fear, there is disappointment — especially for those who are still abroad, waiting to be resettled,” said Hassanen Mohamed, Executive Director of the Minnesota Somali Community Center.
“They’ve already been vetted, fingerprinted, and prepared for resettlement, but executive actions like this create more delays and uncertainty.”
According to U.S. officials, the new ban will not apply to individuals who already hold valid immigration or travel visas.
The Trump administration first introduced a controversial travel ban in 2017, targeting several Muslim-majority countries, including Somalia. The policy underwent legal challenges and revisions before it was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2018.
When President Joe Biden took office in 2021, he rescinded the ban, calling it “a stain on our national conscience.” Biden’s executive order reversed restrictions on travelers from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen, among others.
The reintroduction of travel restrictions under Trump’s new campaign promises has reignited fear among refugee families, particularly those waiting for family reunification or asylum processing.
Community organizations in Minnesota say they are preparing to support affected families and are urging elected officials to push back against policies they see as discriminatory.