U.S. Representative Brandon Gill, a Republican from Texas, introduced legislation on February 4, 2026, to impose a 25-year moratorium on immigration from Somalia. The bill, known as the Somalia Immigration Moratorium Act, seeks to suspend new immigration relief for Somali nationals while preserving the legal status of those already in the United States.

Mass Somali immigration makes life worse for Americans. That’s why I filed a bill today to stop it. https://t.co/unEekWdUTN

— Congressman Brandon Gill (@RepBrandonGill) February 4, 2026

The proposal comes amid growing concerns in parts of Texas, particularly the Dallas-Fort Worth area, about the effects of large-scale migration from Somalia, a predominantly Muslim country. Gill announced the measure after an exclusive interview with The Dallas Express, where he described mass Islamic migration as fundamentally transforming local communities in Texas. He pointed to what he called high rates of welfare use, fraud, crime, and limited assimilation among Somali immigrants as key reasons for the pause.

Gill emphasized that the legislation would not affect Somalis currently in the country with legal status. It exempts individuals already present before the law’s effective date, green card holders, and those with diplomatic or international organization visas. “If you have some Somali who is in the United States legally, currently, this does not kick them out – if they’re here legally,” he said in the interview. “This bill just says we don’t want any more Somalians coming into America.”

The congressman argued that mass immigration from Somalia does not benefit the United States. “This is a simple recognition that mass immigration from Somalia doesn’t make the United States better off,” he explained. He cited statistics showing elevated welfare dependency, including a 2025 report from the Center for Immigration Studies indicating that 81 percent of Somali immigrant households nationwide receive some form of welfare. In Minnesota, home to the largest Somali population in the country, the report noted that 73 percent of such households have at least one member on Medicaid and 54 percent receive food stamps, compared to much lower rates among native households.

Gill linked these patterns to broader issues, including recent revelations of fraud in Somali communities. He referenced investigations in Minnesota, where Somali immigrants have been implicated in schemes funneling taxpayer dollars, including millions potentially directed to the terror group al-Shabaab in Somalia, as well as fraud in publicly funded daycares in Minneapolis. “We’ve seen the fraud in Minnesota, which we’ve been talking about for weeks, predominantly committed by Somali immigrants,” he said. “Somali immigrants coming into the United States, not living the American dream, not getting themselves to become self-sufficient and productive members of society, but coming here because they realize they can get free stuff.”

In Texas, Gill highlighted specific incidents contributing to public unease. These include an unapproved visit by an Islamic group called “Why Islam” to Wylie East High School on February 2, where materials on Sharia were distributed and hijabs handed out to female students, prompting a response from the school district that the event lacked approval. He also noted the planned development by the East Plano Islamic Center, formerly known as EPIC City and now renamed The Meadows, in rural Collin County, which has faced backlash over fears it could promote Sharia law. Governor Greg Abbott signed legislation in 2025 banning Sharia communities, and state Attorney General Ken Paxton has investigated the project. Additional concerns involve similar Islamic developments elsewhere in the state and a November 2025 case in Fort Worth involving an Afghan national who allegedly supported the Taliban and made threats related to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Gill expressed broader worries about the influence of Islam in American communities. “Most Americans and most Texans don’t want to be woken up at 6 a.m. hearing a Muslim call to prayer. I certainly don’t,” he told The Dallas Express. “They don’t want Sharia law in their communities, in their state, in this country, in any way whatsoever.” He described radical Islam as a political ideology incompatible with American values, including free speech, religious liberty, and the separation of church and state. He argued that such views conflict with constitutional principles and that Islam lacks historical roots in the nation’s founding. Gill has advocated for a “Sharia Free America” approach, asserting that certain ideologies pose risks to the country’s framework.

The bill amends Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to bar immigration relief for certain Somali citizens over the 25-year period, while upholding existing lawful statuses and U.S. treaty obligations. Gill has previously cosponsored measures to address fraud-related denaturalization among Somalis. The introduction aligns with ongoing national debates over immigration policy, welfare sustainability, assimilation, and national security, especially as recent enforcement actions and reviews of refugee and protected status programs have intensified scrutiny on certain migrant groups. The legislation now awaits consideration in the House.