Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) has introduced a bill to halt nearly all immigration from Somalia for 25 years, arguing that mass migration from the East African nation has undermined American cohesion, drained public resources, and invited large-scale fraud.
According to Breitbart, Gills Somalia Immigration Moratorium Act would amend section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to suspend immigration relief for most Somali nationals for a quarter century, while preserving existing lawful status and honoring current treaty obligations. The measure is explicitly framed as a course correction after decades of liberal immigration policies, which conservatives argue have prioritized foreign nationals over American citizens and taxpayers.
Mass Somali immigration makes the United States weaker, poorer and erodes social trust, Gill said in a written statement about the bill, underscoring his view that assimilation has failed and that the costs now outweigh any claimed benefits. The sole aim of our immigration system is to benefit American citizens, not facilitate mass migration from corrupt, failed societies. The recent fraud scandal in Minnesota highlights the acute dangers of unchecked immigration. A Somalia immigration moratorium puts the American people first, restores our national sovereignty, protects taxpayers and supports public safety.
Gills legislation is designed to align statutory law with President Donald Trumps Proclamation 10998, Proclamation 10949, and Executive Order 13769, effectively codifying the Trump-era national security framework into permanent law. The moratorium would not apply to Somalis already in the United States before enactment, lawful permanent residents, or holders of diplomatic and international organization visas, reflecting a targeted rather than retroactive approach.
Supporters of the bill point to the Somali communitys outsized role in federal benefits abuse, particularly in Minnesota, where roughly $9 billion in fraud involving members of the Somali community has rocked the state. Beyond headline-grabbing scandals, the community has overwhelmingly benefited from American welfare programs, reinforcing conservative concerns that the current system incentivizes dependency rather than self-reliance.
More than 70 million immigrants have entered the United States since the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, a demographic transformation that many on the right argue has strained social services and weakened cultural unity. Enacting Gills proposal would pause Somali immigration to better align policy with national security, fiscal responsibility, and the broader national interest, while the Trump administration has already moved in the same direction by ending Temporary Protected Status for thousands of Somalis.
Temporary means temporary. Country conditions in Somalia have improved to the point that it no longer meets the laws requirement for Temporary Protected Status, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said, defending the administrations decision. Further, allowing Somali nationals to remain temporarily in the United States is contrary to our national interests. We are putting Americans first, she added, echoing the core rationale behind Gills moratorium push.
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