Policy Update: 1/21/26
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalia Ending:
TPS for Somalia is scheduled to expire on January 13, 2026.
No extension has been announced so far.
What is TPS?:TPS is a temporary immigration status that allows people already in the U.S. from certain countries to stay, work legally, and avoid deportation when it’s unsafe to return home due to conflict or disaster.
New ban on immigrant visas from 75 countries:
What changed:
Starting January 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of State will pause issuing immigrant visas to nationals of 75 countries, including Somalia.
What this means in practice:
Applicants can still submit applications and attend interviews.
No immigrant visas will be approved or issued during the pause.
Applications will be placed on hold until further notice.
Countries affected:Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belize, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burma, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Colombia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominica, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Grenada, Guatemala, Guinea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Macedonia, Pakistan, Republic of the Congo, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, and Yemen
Immigration Detention Reaches Record High
What’s happening:
ICE is currently detaining more than 70,000 people, the highest number ever recorded.
Why this matters:
Higher detention numbers can lead to:
Longer detention periods
Overcrowded facilities
Abuse & Neglect
Reduced access to legal counsel
ICE's detainee population reaches new record high of 73,000, as crackdown widens
Mississippi: House Passes Sweeping School Choice Bill (HB 2)
The Mississippi House narrowly passed House Bill 2, a major education overhaul centered on expanding school choice.
The bill passed after hours of debate and has drawn strong reactions statewide.
What is “school choice”?:School choice policies allow families to use public education funds (such as vouchers or education savings accounts) to pay for alternatives to traditional public schools, including private or charter schools.
Potential Harms of HB 2:
Draining funds from public schools:
The bill would redirect taxpayer dollars away from already underfunded public schools, especially those serving low-income and rural communities.
Public schools must continue educating all students, even as funding is reduced.
Lack of accountability for private schools:
Private schools receiving public funds would not be held to the same academic, financial, or transparency standards as public schools.
This raises concerns about how public money is used and whether students are receiving a quality education.
Selective admissions and curriculum:
Unlike public schools, private schools can:
Choose which students to admit
Set their own curricula
Exclude students with disabilities or higher needs
Potential increased costs for families
Vouchers may not cover full tuition, meaning families could still face out-of-pocket costs.
This could limit access for lower-income families, despite claims of expanded choice.
Public schools already showing improvement
Mississippi public schools have recently shown measurable academic gains.
diverting funds now could undermine progress already being made.
Mississippi Education Freedom Act passes House vote.
Mississippi House narrowly passes sweeping education overhaul after hours of debate on school-choice
Tears, Trump and student transfers: House barely passes school-choice bill. Will it survive?
