Trump says Somalis shouldn’t be in the US while ICE targets a community in Minnesota

ICE is planning an enforcement campaign in the Somali community in Minnesota, and Trump has stated that he does not want Somali immigrants in the United States.

During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump told reporters that he does not want Somali immigrants in the country, intensifying his criticism of them. Trump stated that Somalia is “barely a country” and that its citizens “just run around killing each other,” adding, “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t want them in our country.”

Trump’s comments coincide with reports that US immigration officials are preparing an enforcement action against undocumented Somali citizens in Minnesota, which is home to one of the world’s largest Somali communities. The action has been denounced by state officials, who warn that it may unfairly impact American citizens of Somali heritage.

Broader limitations have also been hinted at by the Trump administration, which has halted all asylum determinations and reviewed green cards granted to immigrants from a number of nations. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem advocated earlier this week for a travel ban on countries she says are “flooding” the United States with criminal activity.

Trump also attacked the first elected Somali-American member of Congress, Representative Ilhan Omar, during his cabinet speech, calling her “incompetent” and that she “hates everybody.” In response, Omar said on social media that the president “desperately needs help” and called the president’s comments “creepy.”

Hundreds of people are anticipated to be the target of the purported ICE operation, which has alarmed local officials in Minnesota. Such an action “means due process will be violated,” according to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. While Democratic Governor Tim Walz denounced what he called a “PR stunt” directed at immigrants, State Senator Zaynab Mohamed emphasized that the great majority of Somali inhabitants are US citizens.

Both Somali officials and the U.S.-based Somali Community Coalition have denounced the comments. Somalia shouldn’t be used as a “scapegoat or distraction from failures elsewhere,” said Ali Omar, the country’s state minister of foreign affairs, on social media.

Trump’s assaults on the Somali community are a component of a broader immigration crackdown that comes after an Afghan national shot two National Guard troops in Washington, DC, last week. For Somali citizens in Minnesota, the administration has promised to evaluate Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a policy that has been in place since 1991 to shield people escaping violence in the East African country.

Local leaders, human rights organizations, and foreign officials have criticized the administration for a significant increase in its focus on immigrant communities from conflict-affected nations, which is indicated by the stated enforcement plans, additional travel restrictions, and visa evaluations.