US to revoke citizenship of naturalized migrants convicted of fraud, Trump says

DETROIT —US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that his administration is going to revoke the citizenship of any naturalized immigrant from Somalia or any other country who is convicted of defrauding "our citizens."

"We're also going to revoke the citizenship of any naturalized immigrant from Somalia or anywhere else who is convicted of defrauding our citizens," Trump said in a speech at the Detroit Economic Club.

The Trump administration said it will end humanitarian protections that grant deportation relief and work permits to some 1,100 Somalis in the US.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she would end Temporary Protected Status for Somalis, arguing that conditions in Somalia had improved even as fighting continues between Somali armed forces and al-Shabaab militants. With the termination, the status will be set to expire on March 17 although a legal challenge is likely.

"Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the law's requirement for Temporary Protected Status," Noem said in a statement. "Further, allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interests. We are putting Americans first.”

Trump has been critical of Somali immigrants in recent months, calling them "garbage" and focusing on fraud allegations in Minnesota that have included some Somalis. The Republican president said in November that he was ending TPS for Somalis in Minnesota, which is home to an estimated 76,000 Somali immigrants, according to U.S. Census data. —Reuters