US citizens with Somali roots are being rounded up by ICE, sparking widespread fear and anxiety among Minnesota's large Somali diaspora community. While the operation is unlikely to result in a significant number of deportations, the racist rhetoric used by President Trump and his allies has created a sense of "continual pain" among Somalis living in the US.
The crackdown on Somali-Americans comes as part of a broader trend of increased enforcement activity by ICE, with many community members reporting encounters with agents from their neighborhoods. In some cases, Somali residents have been targeted based on their appearance or ethnicity, rather than any specific wrongdoing.
"This is absolutely a racist weaponization of ICE against an entire community," said Ana Pottratz Acosta, who leads the Immigration and Human Rights Clinic at the University of Minnesota Law School. "The administration's efforts to demonize Somalis are having real-world consequences for people living in fear."
While there have been reports of arrests, few of those detained were identified as having committed serious crimes. Many had minor infractions or had previously made amends for past mistakes.
One such individual is Abdulkadir Sharif Abdi, a Somali man who was arrested by ICE last week on the basis of a reported gang affiliation. His wife, Rhoda Christenson, described him as "a light in the community" and said that he had been sober for over 15 years. The allegations made against her husband were denied by Christenson, who expressed frustration at the false information being spread about him.
The operation has also led to reports of harassment and intimidation of Somali-Americans in public spaces, with many community members feeling like they are living under a cloud of fear.
As one activist noted, "This is not just about enforcement; it's about creating a climate of fear that makes people too afraid to speak out."
The Intercept has long highlighted the dangers of using immigration enforcement as a tool for xenophobic politics. As we continue to monitor this developing story, we will provide updates and analysis on the impact of this operation on Minnesota's Somali diaspora community.
Meanwhile, President Trump continues to use racist rhetoric to justify his attacks on Somalis, labeling them "garbage." This kind of language is not only hurtful but also has real-world consequences for those living in fear.
The Intercept urges readers to join us in speaking out against this kind of xenophobic politics and to support our reporting on the frontlines of immigration enforcement.
The crackdown on Somali-Americans comes as part of a broader trend of increased enforcement activity by ICE, with many community members reporting encounters with agents from their neighborhoods. In some cases, Somali residents have been targeted based on their appearance or ethnicity, rather than any specific wrongdoing.
"This is absolutely a racist weaponization of ICE against an entire community," said Ana Pottratz Acosta, who leads the Immigration and Human Rights Clinic at the University of Minnesota Law School. "The administration's efforts to demonize Somalis are having real-world consequences for people living in fear."
While there have been reports of arrests, few of those detained were identified as having committed serious crimes. Many had minor infractions or had previously made amends for past mistakes.
One such individual is Abdulkadir Sharif Abdi, a Somali man who was arrested by ICE last week on the basis of a reported gang affiliation. His wife, Rhoda Christenson, described him as "a light in the community" and said that he had been sober for over 15 years. The allegations made against her husband were denied by Christenson, who expressed frustration at the false information being spread about him.
The operation has also led to reports of harassment and intimidation of Somali-Americans in public spaces, with many community members feeling like they are living under a cloud of fear.
As one activist noted, "This is not just about enforcement; it's about creating a climate of fear that makes people too afraid to speak out."
The Intercept has long highlighted the dangers of using immigration enforcement as a tool for xenophobic politics. As we continue to monitor this developing story, we will provide updates and analysis on the impact of this operation on Minnesota's Somali diaspora community.
Meanwhile, President Trump continues to use racist rhetoric to justify his attacks on Somalis, labeling them "garbage." This kind of language is not only hurtful but also has real-world consequences for those living in fear.
The Intercept urges readers to join us in speaking out against this kind of xenophobic politics and to support our reporting on the frontlines of immigration enforcement.
. I mean, we're talking about a community that's already living with anxiety and fear over their immigration status, and now they're being rounded up by agents based on racist stereotypes or false information? It's like they're living under a cloud of fear 
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. The fact that President Trump is using racist rhetoric to justify these attacks just makes it worse. It's like he's using immigration enforcement as a tool for xenophobic politics, and it's having real-world consequences for people who are already marginalized 
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. We need to amplify their voices and work together to create change, not just talk about it 
. It's time to take a stand against xenophobic politics and protect the rights of Somali-Americans once and for all 
.
this is so messed up 
, targeted just cuz of Somali roots 
, racist rhetoric from Trump is causing so much anxiety & fear 
, it's like targeting an entire community 
, no one deserves to be harassed or intimidated in public spaces 
, the Intercept is doing great work exposing this 
, we need more voices speaking out against xenophobic politics 
. I mean, we're living in 2025 and you'd think we'd be way past this kind of racism nonsense 
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. And let's be real, the majority of people detained haven't even done anything wrong – they're just random targets 
.
. That's not just harassment; that's systemic fear-mongering 
They're not committing any crimes, just living their lives and trying to make a living. It's so unfair!
He's always talking about how "garbage" Somalis are... umm, no offense, but that's just hurtful and not true 
We're all human beings, right? It's time for some of this xenophobic stuff to stop! 
. We gotta stand together and say no more! 
this is so not cool. ICE targeting Somali-Americans is a huge deal & it's not just about enforcement, it's about creating a climate of fear 
. The fact that they're being harassed & intimidated in public spaces is just too much 
.
we need to speak out against this xenophobic politics ASAP!!! 
. It's all about creating a climate of fear, making people too scared to speak out... that's not how we're supposed to be as a country. We gotta stand together and support each other, not tear each other down