CLARKSTON, Ga. – The Trump administration is taking an aggressive approach to immigration by stripping Somali refugees of their Temporary Protected Status, a move affecting thousands in metro Atlanta.
What we know:
The government crackdown targets immigration from countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. In metro Atlanta, where an estimated 7,000 to 9,000 Somalians live, the news has created “uneasy times” for the community.
President Trump has voiced opposition to Somali nationals remaining in the U.S. “They contribute nothing, I don’t want them in our country,” he said.
The decision follows a travel ban and recent ICE enforcement actions. These moves come shortly after allegations of massive fraud involving Somali immigrants in Minnesota.
What they’re saying:
Dr. Dorian Brown Crosby, a Spelman College professor who studied the Somali community in DeKalb County, said the impact of those allegations is being felt nationwide.
“Somalis across the United States are definitely feeling the impact of the fraud allegations in Minneapolis,” Crosby said.
Crosby noted that Hollywood portrayals in films like Captain Phillips and Black Hawk Down have created negative narratives. “The idea that all Somalis are pirates, that all Somalis are terrorists, are criminal is an old narrative,” she said.
The backstory:
The U.S. first granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) to Somalis in 1991 due to war.
Atlanta immigration attorney Chuck Kuck said the country has been on and off the protected list for decades because “the country is a wreck.”
“The idea that Somalia is perfectly safe for people to go back to is a joke,” Kuck said. “This is a political move.”
Kuck noted that while the status is temporary, the policy shift forces people into other legal avenues. “They can file for asylum, and they’ll be here for 5 or 6 more years… we’re forcing people through systems that we don’t have to do if we had a responsible Congress,” Kuck said.
What’s next:
Somali refugees with TPS status are required to leave the U.S. by March 17.
The Source: The sources cited in the article are Spelman College Professor Dr. Dorian Brown Crosby, and immigration attorney Chuck Kuck. FOX 5’s Kevyn Stewart contributed to this report.
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