In brief
Mahad Mohamud, a 36-year-old former Uber driver from Minneapolis, has found himself back in Somalia after being deported. Known on TikTok for his outspoken defense of his clan, Mahad's past catches up with him as he adjusts to the chaos of Mogadishu and faces life-threatening threats from the Islamist militants al-Shabab. His journey, beginning over a decade ago, highlights the challenges faced by deportees, including ongoing security fears and a stark new reality after a decade of seeking safety in the US.
Mahad Mohamud is slowly readjusting to the heat, chaos and tension of Somalia's capital, Mogadishu, after being deported from the US city of Minneapolis last month just as winter was closing in there. Somalis know the 36-year-old as Garyaqaan - a word that can be translated as 'judge'. This is the name he uses on TikTok, where he attracted almost half a million followers while he was abroad. Fans praised Mahad for his defence of his clan's interests - part of Somalia's lucrative TikTok roasting sub-culture.But to those running the White House-linked 'Rapid Response 47' account, Mahad was a 'criminal illegal scumbag'. In an October post, it accused him of being 'involved in the kidnapping of French officials' from a hotel in the Somali capital. Mahad has denied the allegation, saying that he was not in Mogadishu at the time, and he was never convicted as the case was dropped. He explains that his detention by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency was triggered after a rival TikToker leaked his address.'ICE told me they had two cases against me - one was entering the country illegally and the kidnapping of a French official.' Mahad stated that the kidnapping case was handled by the FBI, which cleared him, but that did not save him from being deported.His journey from Somalia to the US started more than a decade ago, first taking him to South Africa, where he was assaulted in a xenophobic attack. He then traveled to Brazil and made his way to the US through the Mexican border. 'When I jumped the fence from Mexico, I was arrested and detained for a month,' Mahad recalls.He describes in vivid detail the early May morning when immigration agents arrested him. Shortly after breakfast, he went to his car thinking he was about to begin another day of Uber driving when agents appeared to arrest him.Mahad spent six months in detention, with three months awaiting a decision on his asylum case and the other three awaiting deportation. His asylum claim was denied despite threats to his life from militants in Somalia due to his views shared on TikTok. He was ultimately deported after months of waiting.Now back in Somalia, Mahad has been welcomed by clan members, including local politicians, yet fears for his life after receiving death threats from al-Shabab. He takes extra security precautions when out and lives in a protected home, but the dangers remain.With the US continuing to tighten immigration laws and fears of deportation growing within the Somali community, Mahad's experience reflects the uncertain reality faced by many. Despite the connections he made in the US and the hope of a better future, he is now faced with rebuilding in an environment marked by instability.
