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From Minneapolis to Mogadishu: A deported influencer's journey
Mahad Mohamud, known online as Garyaqaan, arrived in Somalia's capital last month after U.S. authorities deported him following a six-month detention. The 36-year-old had built a following of nearly half a million on TikTok, where his clan advocacy and sharp commentary earned both praise and threats.
Allegations and detention
A White House-linked social media account, Rapid Response 47, labeled Mohamud a "criminal illegal scumbag" in October, accusing him of involvement in the kidnapping of French officials in Mogadishu. He denies the claim, stating he was not in Somalia at the time. The case was later dropped, but U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained him in May, citing two charges: illegal entry and the kidnapping allegation.
Mohamud told the BBC the FBI questioned him about the kidnapping but cleared him. Still, ICE denied his asylum claim, rejecting his argument that returning to Somalia would endanger his life. He spent three months awaiting an asylum decision and another three in deportation proceedings.
A perilous return
After multiple delays-including transfers to Arizona for deportation flights-Mohamud was restrained and flown to Mogadishu via Costa Rica, Senegal, and Kenya. He described the journey as a "small plane" ride with seven other deportees, arriving in handcuffs.
Though reunited with his three children after a decade apart, Mohamud fears for his safety. Al-Shabab, the Islamist militant group, has sent him death threats, forcing him to take extra security precautions. "I wouldn't trade this moment for anything," he said, "but I'd still rather be in the U.S."
Broader crackdown on Somali immigrants
Mohamud's deportation reflects a wider U.S. push against Somali immigrants. President Donald Trump recently ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalis, declaring the country unsafe but adding, "I don't want them here." His remarks followed a Minnesota fraud case involving Somali nationals accused of misusing pandemic aid funds.
In Minneapolis's Little Mogadishu neighborhood, home to 80,000 Somalis, ICE raids have sparked panic. Five young men told the BBC they fled their homes after leases were traced to them, fearing detention. "We're running out of food," one said. "We haven't worked in five days."
Struggling to rebuild
Another deported Somali, who asked to remain anonymous, said he spent $20,000 to reach the U.S. from rural Somalia, only to be detained for 18 months and sent back. "Everything I worked for just disappeared," he said. With no job prospects in Mogadishu, he's considering migrating again. "I don't see a future here."
Somalia's instability-marked by al-Shabab attacks and weak governance-has left many returnees with few options. Mohamud, however, may benefit from his social media fame, which has drawn attention from local politicians and clan leaders.
Uncertain futures
As U.S. policies tighten, deported Somalis face a grim choice: rebuild in a fractured homeland or risk another dangerous journey abroad. For now, Mohamud is taking it one day at a time. "I just want to be safe," he said.
