BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — As the Trump administration moves to end Temporary Protected Status for Somali nationals, immigrants who have built their lives in the United States for decades now face an uncertain future.
For Mustafa Abdo, the issue is deeply personal. Mustafa moved to the United States 18 years ago as a refugee from Syria, after his family fled Somalia during the civil war when he was seven years old.
“It was very sad to leave this country, but you had no other option,” Mustafa said. “It was for your safety and your family’s.”
Today, Mustafa is a proud U.S. citizen who said coming to America gave him the chance at a better life.
“When we come here as refugees, or under any other status, our goal is to have a better life and to contribute to society,” he said.
Mustafa said he knows many Somali immigrants feel the same way. But that could soon change for those living under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), as the Trump administration moves to end the program on March 17th.
“It was very sad to hear the news that came today,” he said. “This will put a lot of pressure on a lot of people, especially Somalis. Our goal is to live a better life, to have a safe place to live and work, and to be in a better area.”
WATCH: Somali immigrants face uncertain future as TPS program faces end
TPS allows immigrants from war-torn or disaster-hit countries to live and work legally in the United States. Somalia has had that protection since 1991 due to ongoing conflict.
The Trump administration said conditions in Somalia have improved. But critics and people like Mustafa argue the country remains unstable. President Trump has also accused Somali immigrants of harming the country, saying they should not be in the United States.
“Somalia is not stable,” Mustafa said. “It needs a lot of resources, safety, and help to get back to what it is supposed to look like.”
Despite the uncertainty, Mustafa said he remains hopeful the administration might reconsider the decision, after he and many others have spent decades building their lives in America.
“When you come to America, it will be a different life a land of opportunity,” he said. “You will accomplish your dreams and be in a safer place. That is the first thing I felt.”
