Monday December 15, 2025
Mahad Mohamud, a Somali social media influencer known online as “Garyaqaan,” is seen in this undated photo. Mohamud was deported from the United States last month after months in immigration detention and has since returned to Mogadishu, where he says he faces security threats following his outspoken activity on social media. SUPPLIED via BBC
Mogadishu (HOL) — A Somali social media influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers has been deported from the United States after months in immigration detention, returning to Mogadishu amid renewed fears for his safety and growing anxiety within Somali migrant communities abroad.
Mahad Mahmoud, 36, widely known online as “Garyaqaan,” or “The Lawyer,” was deported last month from Minneapolis after U.S. authorities rejected his asylum claim. He says he has since received death threats from the militant group al-Shabab and is now living under heightened security in Somalia’s capital.
Mahad’s deportation comes as U.S. immigration enforcement intensifies and political rhetoric targeting Somali migrants escalates. Last month, President Donald Trump said he would end temporary protections that prevent deportations to countries deemed unsafe. Earlier this month, he said he did not want Somali immigrants in the United States and urged them to “go back to where they came from,” citing Somalia’s insecurity.
Somalia has lacked a fully functioning central government since the collapse of President Siad Barre’s regime in 1991. While a federal government operates from Mogadishu, Islamist militant groups, including al-Shabab, still control parts of the country and continue to carry out attacks, including in the capital.
Trump’s remarks followed questions about alleged corruption in Minnesota involving millions of dollars meant for a federal child nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic. Several individuals have been charged, and some Somali immigrants were suspected of involvement.
Videos circulated on social media after the remarks appeared to show immigration officers knocking on doors in Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul, including areas known as Little Mogadishu. The region is home to an estimated 80,000 Somalis, and the footage heightened fear across the community.
Online Influence and Controversy
Mahad built a following of about 500,000 users on TikTok, where he is known for defending his clan and voicing support for Somalia’s federal government. His visibility brought both support and controversy.
In October, an account linked to a White House-affiliated rapid response network known as Rapid Response 47 accused him on the platform X of criminal activity, including alleged involvement in the kidnapping of French nationals in Mogadishu.
Mahad denied the allegations, saying he was not in Somalia at the time and that no charges were filed. He said the FBI investigated the claim, questioned him and later released him without charge.
Arrest and Detention
Mahad said his arrest by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, followed a report from a social media rival who provided authorities with his home address.
He entered the United States from Mexico without legal documents after traveling through South America. He was arrested at the border, detained for about a month, then released with a temporary work permit while his asylum case was pending.
He later settled in Minneapolis, working as an Uber driver while earning income from TikTok live broadcasts.
Mahad said ICE officers arrested him one morning as he was leaving for work. He spent six months in detention, first awaiting a decision on his asylum claim, then awaiting deportation after the claim was denied.
Deportation and Return
Mahad was deported alongside 38 others from Kenya, Ethiopia and Eritrea. He said detainees were placed in restraining jackets and transported under guard through Costa Rica, Senegal and Kenya before reaching Mogadishu.
After months in detention, he said he had accepted the outcome and felt little emotion upon arrival.
He was reunited with his three children for the first time in 10 years.
“There is nothing more important than seeing my children again,” he said.
Despite the reunion, Mahad said he would prefer to be in the United States because of ongoing security concerns. He said he limits his movements and lives in a guarded residence.
Mahad’s case reflects a wider pattern affecting Somali migrants.
The BBC spoke with five young Somali men in Minnesota who said they stopped working and left their rented home to avoid immigration enforcement. One said they often go without food and fear being detained.
Another Somali man, who asked not to be identified, said he spent 18 months in U.S. detention before being deported. He said he borrowed about $20,000 to fund his journey and now sees no future in Somalia.
“They sent me back, and everything I worked for is gone,” he said.
He said he is considering migrating again.
“I don’t want to start my life over here,” he said.
- With files from the BBC Somali Service