Immigrants, Including Kenyans, Told to Legalise Stay in the US or Leave as Trump Administration Intensifies Deportation Push
Thousands of immigrants living in the United States, including Kenyans, are facing renewed uncertainty after the U.S. Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump’s administration a significant legal victory, allowing it to move ahead with plans to end humanitarian protections for hundreds of thousands of migrants.
The ruling paves the way for the administration to expand deportation efforts targeting immigrants who have been living in the country under Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a programme designed to offer temporary legal protection to people fleeing armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary conditions in their home countries.
The decision has sparked anxiety among foreign nationals who have spent years—some more than a decade—working, raising families, and establishing lives in the United States under the belief that they could remain legally while their countries remained unstable.
Speaking during an interview with CNN, Homeland Security official Markwayne Mullin reiterated President Trump’s immigration directive, saying migrants currently benefiting from temporary protections now have only two options.
“Either try to fill out the paperwork and be here underneath a permanent status, or we’ll help you get back to your country,” Mullin said.
He stressed that Temporary Protected Status was never intended to become a permanent immigration pathway.
“We’ll actually give you a plane ticket, plus roughly $2,100 to help you re-establish when you get there, but Temporary Protected Status, according to the courts and in its name itself, is not permanent status,” he added.
The administration has launched a voluntary departure programme offering migrants who choose to leave the United States government-funded airfare and approximately USD 2,100 (around KSh271,000) to assist with resettlement in their countries of origin.
Concern for Kenyans Living in the US
The latest directive is expected to raise concern among Kenya’s sizeable diaspora community in the United States, estimated at between 157,000 and 170,000 people, according to data from the United Nations and the Migration Policy Institute.
While many Kenyans are living legally in the U.S., immigration experts warn that individuals with unresolved immigration cases or expired legal protections could face increased scrutiny as enforcement operations intensify.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 45 Kenyan nationals currently appear on the agency’s so-called “Worst of the Worst” list—a database of individuals arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and convicted of crimes ranging from fraud and assault to robbery and driving under the influence.
In addition, 1,282 Kenyans are listed on DHS’s non-detained docket. These individuals are not currently in immigration custody but have final orders of removal, meaning they could be arrested and deported if located by immigration authorities.
The Trump administration maintains that the Supreme Court ruling simply reinforces the temporary nature of humanitarian protections and allows immigration laws to be enforced as originally intended.
However, immigrant advocacy groups argue that the move could separate families, disrupt communities, and leave many long-term residents vulnerable despite having contributed to the U.S. economy for years.
With deportation efforts expected to accelerate in the coming months, many affected immigrants—including some Kenyans—are now seeking legal advice in hopes of securing permanent residency before enforcement actions intensify.
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