Trump's intended enforcement actions on Somali communities in Minnesota: What information we have

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday criticized Somali immigrants as federal authorities prepared a large-scale immigration enforcement action aimed at hundreds of undocumented Somali residents in Minnesota. Speaking to reporters, Trump claimed Somali immigrants contributed nothing to the United States while relying on public assistance, though he provided no evidence to support these statements. This marks the latest in a series of attacks the president has directed at the Somali community, both during his current term and previously.

Trump has also repeatedly criticized Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a US citizen of Somali heritage. The president's rhetoric has generally targeted immigrants from developing nations, with the exception of white South Africans, who have recently received increased immigration quotas. Following last weeks fatal shooting of two National Guard members by an Afghan national, the US temporarily halted immigration from 19 countries considered high risk.

At the end of October, the Trump administration announced it would limit the refugee intake to 7,500 for the next year, the lowest since the 1980 Refugee Act, prioritizing white South Africans. On Tuesday, US media reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to conduct operations in Somali neighborhoods in Minnesota in the coming days.

Trumps Remarks About Somali Immigrants

After a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Trump described Somali immigrants as garbage and stated, We could go one way or the other, and were going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country. They contribute nothing. I dont want them in our country. He did not clarify whether he was referring to citizens or undocumented residents. Trump added that the US should not welcome people from countries he deemed problematic, claiming, These are people who do nothing but complain.

Following the shooting of two National Guard members, Trump also ordered a review of green card holders from 19 blacklisted nations and singled out the Somali community in Minnesota, asserting that hundreds of thousands of Somali residents were harming the state.

Planned ICE Actions

According to reports, ICE intends to conduct a sweep in Somali neighborhoods of the Minneapolis-St Paul area, detaining undocumented individuals for deportation. At least 100 ICE agents are expected to participate. Sources indicate that even Somalis seeking legal status could be affected. Similar raids have taken place in other US cities, and by October, the administration had deported at least 527,000 individuals.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the operation, stating that indiscriminately targeting immigrants is not a solution. Minneapolis city officials also criticized Trumps statements, with Mayor Jacob Frey calling the plan terrorizing and vowing support for the Somali community. Council Member Jamal Osman, who emigrated from Somalia at age 14, affirmed that Somali Americans are a permanent part of the city.

Previous Targeting of the Somali Community

On November 21, Trump announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for about 705 Somali immigrants in Minnesota. He claimed, without evidence, that Somali gangs were operating in the state and accused Governor Walz of mismanaging Minnesotas resources.

The presidents recent focus followed a report by conservative activist Christopher Rufo, alleging welfare fraud by Somalis in Minnesota, including sending remittances abroad, some allegedly reaching al-Shabab. The report referenced a fraudulent charity, Feeding Our Future, whose organizers, including both white and Somali-Americans, were convicted for embezzlement.

Attacks on Ilhan Omar

Trump also disparaged Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, calling her garbage and accusing her of anti-Semitism without evidence. Omar, who emigrated from Somalia in 1995, has represented her district since 2019. She responded by denouncing Trumps obsession with her and challenging the accusations about Somali crime and funding to armed groups, stating that a whole community cannot be blamed for the actions of a few.

Somali Community in the United States

The US is home to roughly 260,000 people of Somali descent, one of the largest communities outside Somalia. Most live in Minnesota, particularly the Minneapolis-St Paul area, with 63,000 residents of Somali heritage. Other states with significant Somali populations include Ohio, Washington, Virginia, Georgia, and California. The diaspora began arriving in the US in the 1960s, initially as students, followed by larger waves fleeing civil war in Somalia.

Somali immigrants in Minnesota have established hundreds of businesses in retail, food services, and more, while gradually entering politics and other professional sectors. Congresswoman Omars election in 2019 marked the first Somali-American representation in the US Congress. Most Somalis in Minnesota are young, with nearly half born in the US. While English proficiency varies, the community remains active in the workforce, countering claims that they do not contribute economically.

Authorities have historically faced challenges preventing the recruitment of Somali-American youth by extremist groups, though such cases have been limited in recent years. Minneapolis continues to foster a welcoming environment for Somali-Americans, emphasizing inclusion regardless of immigration status.

Author: Harper Simmons