Federal authorities are preparing a sweeping immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, specifically targeting Somali immigrants living unlawfully in the United States, according to multiple reports confirmed by The New York Times and the Associated Press. The planned operation, which could begin in the coming days, would focus on the Minneapolis–St. Paul area—home to the nation’s largest Somali community—and involve teams of federal immigration agents conducting a high-priority sweep. Officials familiar with the planning say the operation is set to target individuals with final orders of deportation, but as with previous efforts, so-called incidental arrests of other undocumented individuals are possible.
The heightened enforcement comes amid an escalation in anti-Somali rhetoric from President Donald Trump. During a cabinet meeting on December 2, 2025, Trump declared, “I don’t want them in our country. Their country is no good for a reason.” He went further, referring to Somali immigrants as “garbage” and claiming, “They contribute nothing.” Trump also singled out Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, a Somali American, calling her and others “garbage” and asserting, “We’re going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country.” According to The Guardian and The New York Times, Trump’s remarks included, “These are people who do nothing but complain. 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.”
Trump’s comments have drawn sharp criticism from Minnesota officials and community leaders, who argue that such language not only misrepresents the Somali community but also stokes fear and division. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey pushed back forcefully, stating, “They have started businesses and created jobs. They have added to the cultural fabric of what Minneapolis is.” During a news conference alongside Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, Frey reiterated, “To our Somali community, we love you and we stand with you. That commitment is rock solid.” Frey warned that the targeted operation would inevitably violate civil liberties: “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 the fact that they look like they are Somali. That is not now and will never be a legitimate reason.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara echoed these concerns, emphasizing that the police department does not participate in federal immigration enforcement and remains focused on protecting the community. “People are going to want to speak out, to protest, and to exercise their First Amendment rights—we will absolutely defend people’s rights to do just that,” O’Hara said. He urged that any demonstrations in response to federal raids remain peaceful: “If demonstrations do happen around any type of immigration raid, I ask that they remain nonviolent so that we can keep everyone in our community safe.”
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter joined his Minneapolis counterparts in denouncing the anticipated federal action, voicing solidarity with Somali Minnesotans and concern for the operation’s possible fallout. The city’s leaders stressed that Somali residents are integral to the region’s economic and cultural life, and that local governments will stand with them as federal pressure mounts.
The planned crackdown comes on the heels of Trump’s announcement last month that he was terminating Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali migrants in Minnesota—a legal safeguard against deportation for immigrants from certain countries. However, federal law currently authorizes Somalia’s TPS designation through March 17, 2026, as confirmed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. As of March 31, 2025, only 705 Somali nationals nationwide are approved for TPS, according to Congress.gov.
Community leaders estimate that about 80,000 Somalis live in Minnesota, most of whom are U.S. citizens or legal residents. Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said, “We believe this is political rhetoric and an attack against our community. But additional ICE agents means additional pressure on the wider immigrant community.” Hussein noted that around 95% of Somalis in Minnesota are U.S. citizens, with about half born in the U.S., and described the crackdown as yet another example of the Trump administration “demonizing the Muslim community.”
State leaders have also weighed in. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz criticized the Trump administration’s actions, calling the planned ICE operation a “PR stunt” and labeling the president’s comments as “demonizing an entire population and lying to people about the safety and security of this state.” Walz added, “This is a president in spiral doing nothing to make life cheaper for Minnesotans or Americans, and we understand who he’s targeting.” State Senator Zaynab Mohamed of Minneapolis called the deployment of federal immigration agents “a waste of taxpayer money” that will lead to “the harassment of peaceful American citizens trying to go about their day.”
The federal government has justified the operation by referencing fraud cases involving Somali residents accused of lying to the state for government program reimbursements, as well as allegations—reported by right-wing outlets—that taxpayer dollars from defrauded programs may have been diverted to the Somali militant group al-Shabab. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced on December 1, 2025, that his agency was investigating whether any public funds had been funneled to al-Shabab, an affiliate of al-Qaida. However, community leaders and local officials warn that such allegations have been used to unfairly paint the entire Somali community with a broad brush, reviving fears of profiling and collective punishment.
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin declined to confirm or deny the details of the operation, stating, “We do not discuss future or potential operations.” She added, “What makes someone a target of ICE is not their race or ethnicity, but the fact that they are in the country illegally.”
The looming enforcement action has left many Somali Minnesotans feeling anxious and uncertain, with local officials noting a rise in fear and confusion as rhetoric escalates and rumors of raids circulate. Minneapolis City Council member Jamal Osman, himself Somali American, promised that the city would stand up for its immigrants: “Our community has lived through fear in the past. And we are not going to let us divide that.”
The coming days may prove pivotal for Minnesota’s Somali community, as federal agents prepare their operation and local leaders brace for the fallout. The debate over immigration enforcement and community integration in Minnesota has rarely felt more urgent, with voices on all sides raising fundamental questions about American values, civil rights, and the meaning of belonging in a diverse nation.
