U.S. Immigration Authorities Launch Enhanced Operations in Minnesota Amid Trump's Crackdown on Somali Immigrants
The Minneapolis-St. Paul area has been targeted by federal immigration authorities, who are conducting enhanced operations to deport individuals with deportation orders, according to a U.S. official. The surge is expected to target those with criminal convictions or arrests, with 12 people arrested since Monday, including five from Somalia.
President Trump has long campaigned against the Somali immigrant community in Minnesota, calling them "garbage" and claiming they contribute nothing to the country. He recently halted all immigration cases for people from Somalia and 18 other nations on his travel ban list, as well as ordered a reexamination of green cards issued to immigrants from those countries.
The TPS program for Somali immigrants is set to expire in March 2026, but Mr. Trump has announced plans to end it, citing "Somali gangs terrorizing the people" without evidence. This move could impact around 700 immigrants who had been approved for temporary protected status as of March this year.
Minnesota's Somali community has grown significantly since the early 1990s, with over 76,000 people of Somali descent statewide. Many were resettled in the U.S. after fleeing Somalia due to civil war and poverty. Despite their contributions to the state, Somali immigrants have been unfairly targeted by Mr. Trump's administration.
Democratic officials and community leaders have denounced Mr. Trump's statements as "vile, racist lies and slander towards our fellow Minnesotans." Hamse Warfa, a Somali-born entrepreneur, told CBS News Minnesota, "I am not garbage. I'm a proud American citizen."
The surge in immigration enforcement operations comes amid growing tensions between the administration and the Somali community in Minnesota. The state's Somali population represents just over 1% of the state's population but has been unfairly targeted by Mr. Trump's policies.
ICE made 117 arrests of people with Somali citizenship nationwide, including 28 in Minnesota, since the start of Mr. Trump's second term. However, these numbers represent a small fraction of total nationwide arrests, which stood at around 1% as of October 15.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul area has been targeted by federal immigration authorities, who are conducting enhanced operations to deport individuals with deportation orders, according to a U.S. official. The surge is expected to target those with criminal convictions or arrests, with 12 people arrested since Monday, including five from Somalia.
President Trump has long campaigned against the Somali immigrant community in Minnesota, calling them "garbage" and claiming they contribute nothing to the country. He recently halted all immigration cases for people from Somalia and 18 other nations on his travel ban list, as well as ordered a reexamination of green cards issued to immigrants from those countries.
The TPS program for Somali immigrants is set to expire in March 2026, but Mr. Trump has announced plans to end it, citing "Somali gangs terrorizing the people" without evidence. This move could impact around 700 immigrants who had been approved for temporary protected status as of March this year.
Minnesota's Somali community has grown significantly since the early 1990s, with over 76,000 people of Somali descent statewide. Many were resettled in the U.S. after fleeing Somalia due to civil war and poverty. Despite their contributions to the state, Somali immigrants have been unfairly targeted by Mr. Trump's administration.
Democratic officials and community leaders have denounced Mr. Trump's statements as "vile, racist lies and slander towards our fellow Minnesotans." Hamse Warfa, a Somali-born entrepreneur, told CBS News Minnesota, "I am not garbage. I'm a proud American citizen."
The surge in immigration enforcement operations comes amid growing tensions between the administration and the Somali community in Minnesota. The state's Somali population represents just over 1% of the state's population but has been unfairly targeted by Mr. Trump's policies.
ICE made 117 arrests of people with Somali citizenship nationwide, including 28 in Minnesota, since the start of Mr. Trump's second term. However, these numbers represent a small fraction of total nationwide arrests, which stood at around 1% as of October 15.
The stats are pretty shocking - 117 arrests nationwide since Trump took office? That's still super low, but it's definitely not the kind of "enhanced operations" you'd expect from a country that values diversity and inclusivity. And let's be real, Trump's history on Somali immigrants is pretty checkered... calling them "garbage"? Come on. 
The fact that community leaders are saying his policies are based on "vile, racist lies" isn't far-fetched either - it sounds like a whole lot of xenophobia to me. 
I'm so frustrated about this news! The layout of the article is pretty meh too 
, but anyway... Trump's behavior towards Somali immigrants in Minnesota is just appalling 
. He's always talking trash and now they're getting targeted by ICE. Like, what even is the point of that? 
. The Somali community has been living in MN for decades and contributing so much to the state... it's time for Trump to stop playing politics with people's lives 
. I'm all about that layout, tbh 
, but this article could use some serious formatting to get my attention 
!
Some ppl have no idea how unfair it is to call a community "garbage". Somali immigrants in Minnesota are good ppl who came here for a reason - they're not just taking jobs from Americans, they're contributing to the economy & society! 76k people of Somali descent living in MN is crazy if you think about it. And what's with this "Somali gangs terrorizing the people" thing? That's just not true! These ppl are victims of civil war & poverty back home. Let's be real, Trump's just trying to get attention. His policies are a joke 
. We need to stand up 4 these communities & show them some love.
They're being targeted unfairly and it's not okay. I mean, what even is the deal with Trump's travel ban? Like, can't we all just get along and be welcoming to new folks coming to our country? 
It just doesn't add up.
. We should be promoting love, acceptance, and inclusivity, not fear-mongering and division. So let's all take a deep breath and do better, okay? 
. What's wrong with giving people a chance to contribute to society and make a life for themselves? This whole thing feels like a perfect example of how our immigration system can be used as a tool for fear-mongering and division 
.
. If we're really going to crack down on crime, then let's focus on providing resources and support to communities that are already struggling, rather than targeting specific groups like this 
this is just getting out of hand - enhanced operations targeting Somali immigrants in Minnesota, already an unfair community with no proof that they're 'terrorizing the people'... what's next? a nationwide crackdown on innocent people because of trump's baseless claims 
This is getting outta hand! I mean, come on, Somali immigrants have been here for decades, built lives, and contribute to the community just like anyone else. Trump's rhetoric is straight-up hurtful 
. The stats don't lie - Somali immigrants are a tiny fraction of the population, but they're being targeted because of their ethnicity. It's not about "garbage" or "gangs", it's plain old xenophobia 
.
. I mean, it's not that hard, right? But nope, my brain kept messing with me, making the cheese melt in weird ways and the bread getting all soggy 
. Anyway, enough about that... did you know there's this amazing new VR game that lets you explore virtual versions of famous cities like Paris and Tokyo? I heard it's so realistic, you'll feel like you're actually walking around in them 
. Has anyone tried it out yet?
"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." 
- Mahatma Gandhi. The Somali community in Minnesota has been through so much already, and now they're being targeted again by the current administration's rhetoric. It's time for some people to stop talking trash about a group of hardworking immigrants who are trying to build a better life for themselves and their families. We need more empathy and understanding in our society, not division and fear-mongering. 
, labeling an entire community "garbage" is just not cool 
. 
.
, paid taxes, and contributed to the state 
.
.
and make sure they know we got their backs 