Immigration enforcement in the Minneapolis–St. The Paul area, home to most Somali Americans in the US, will intensify this week. The operation would involve “strike teams” of ICE and other federal officers
US President Donald Trump has referred to Somali immigrants as “garbage” and said they should be sent back to Somalia, in a tirade that came as his administration is ramping up immigration enforcement against undocumented Somalis in Minnesota.
During a cabinet meeting, Trump launched into a xenophobic rant targeting Somalis and Rep. Ilhan Omar, who was born in Somalia and is a US citizen. He claimed Somalia “stinks” and is “no good for a reason.”
“They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country, I’ll be honest with you,” he said. He labelled Omar “garbage” and added, “We’re going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country.”
“These are people who do nothing but complain,” he continued. “They complain, and from where they came from, they got nothing … When they come from hell and they complain and do nothing but bitch, we don’t want them in our country. Let them go back to where they came from and fix it.”
Crackdown on Somalis
The New York Times reported Tuesday that immigration enforcement in the Minneapolis–St. The Paul area, home to most Somali Americans in the US, will intensify this week. The operation would involve “strike teams” of ICE and other federal officers, with about 100 agents brought in from around the country.
The escalation follows a series of fraud cases involving dozens of Somali residents accused of lying to the state to receive reimbursements for meals, medical care, housing, and autism services. The Trump administration had previously threatened to revoke temporary protected status for Somalis in Minnesota, calling the state a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also announced Monday that his department would investigate allegations that Minnesota taxpayer money had “been diverted to the terrorist organisation Al-Shabaab,” citing a recent article from a right-wing outlet making such claims.
Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey and other city leaders held a press conference Tuesday addressing “credible reports” of heightened enforcement. Frey said the city supports its Somali community. Minneapolis police do not take part in immigration enforcement, and the police chief noted the department is not given advance notice of federal operations.
“To our Somali community, we love you and we stand with you,” Frey said. “That commitment is rock solid.”
Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the U.S., with roughly 80,000 Somali residents, most of whom are U.S. citizens or legal residents.
“Targeting Somali people means that due process will be violated, mistakes will be made, and let’s be clear, it means that American citizens will be detained for no other reason than they look Somali,” Frey said.
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