Rep. Brandon Gill (R-Texas) introduced legislation Tuesday that would impose a 25-year moratorium on immigration from Somalia, citing concerns over assimilation, national security, and widespread abuse of federal benefits programs.
Gill’s proposal, titled the Somalia Immigration Moratorium Act, would amend Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to bar immigration relief for certain Somali nationals for a quarter century, while preserving existing lawful statuses and honoring U.S. treaty obligations. The bill would not apply to Somali nationals already in the United States at the time of enactment, lawful permanent residents, or individuals entering under diplomatic or international organization visas.
“Mass Somali immigration makes the United States weaker, poorer and erodes social trust,” Gill said in a written statement. “The sole aim of our immigration system is to benefit American citizens, not facilitate mass migration from corrupt, failed societies.”
Gill pointed to recent fraud cases in Minnesota involving members of the Somali community as evidence of the dangers of unchecked immigration. His statement referenced large-scale abuse of federal benefits programs and argued that a pause on immigration from Somalia would protect taxpayers, strengthen public safety, and restore national sovereignty.
The legislation is designed to align with several Trump immigration actions, including Proclamation 10998, Proclamation 10949, and Executive Order 13769. According to Gill’s office, the bill would codify Proclamation 10998 into statute.
The proposal comes amid renewed debate over immigration policy following the arrival of more than 70 million immigrants to the United States since the passage of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act. Gill and other supporters argue that current policies have strained public resources and undermined public trust.
Somali communities have come under particular scrutiny recently due to high-profile fraud investigations. In Minnesota, roughly $9 billion in alleged fraud tied to members of the Somali community has been reported, drawing national attention. Beyond fraud cases, supporters of the bill point to data showing high reliance on public assistance programs among Somali immigrant households, including welfare, Medicaid, and food assistance.
Gill’s legislation follows recent action by the Trump administration to end Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for thousands of Somalis living in the United States. Weeks ago, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that conditions in Somalia had improved to the point that the country no longer met the statutory requirements for TPS.
“Temporary means temporary,” Noem said in a statement at the time. “Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law’s requirement for Temporary Protected Status. Further, allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interests.”
The proposed moratorium is expected to face strong opposition from Democrats and immigration advocacy groups, who argue that such measures unfairly target specific nationalities and communities. As of now, it remains unclear how much support the bill will gain in Congress.
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