Federal authorities are preparing a large-scale immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota aimed at Somali immigrants living unlawfully in the United States, a development announced just as President Donald Trump delivered his strongest public criticism yet of Somali migrants during a Cabinet meeting Tuesday.
The planned operation, confirmed by a person familiar with the federal strategy, is expected to begin in the coming days and will focus on individuals in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area with final deportation orders. Immigration agents are set to fan out across the Twin Cities in what the source described as a “directed, high-priority sweep.” The plans remain subject to change.
The timing of the operation comes as Trump escalates his rhetoric toward Somali communities, saying recently that Somali immigrants “have caused a lot of trouble.”
During Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, Trump made clear he does not want Somali immigrants living in the United States, criticizing what he called their reliance on social programs and questioning what they bring to the country.
“They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country,” Trump said.
“Their country is no good for a reason.”
Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the United States, built over decades through refugee resettlement following Somalia’s civil war. Hundreds may be targeted in the upcoming operation, and “incidental arrests” of others lacking legal status could also occur, according to the AP source.
Local Pushback in Minnesota
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey announced that city police, including many Somali American officers, will not assist federal agents in the enforcement effort.
“Targeting Somali people means that due process will be violated, mistakes will be made, and … American citizens will be detained for no other reason than the fact that they look like they are Somali,” Frey said. “That is not now and will never be a legitimate reason.”
Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin dismissed concerns that the operation targets people based on ethnicity.
“What makes someone a target of ICE is not their race or ethnicity, but the fact that they are in the country illegally,” she said.
Background on the Crackdown
The operation comes as Trump intensifies scrutiny of Minnesota’s Somali community following a City Journal report alleging that taxpayer dollars stolen from government programs may have been funneled to al-Shabab, allegations not yet substantiated in public court documents.
Last month, Trump announced he was ending Temporary Protected Status for Somali migrants in Minnesota, affecting a small group of about 705 individuals nationwide.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, blasted Trump’s remarks and actions.
“Demonizing an entire population and lying to people about the safety and security of this state is beneath (the dignity of the presidency),” Gov. Walz said.
Trump called Walz “grossly incompetent” and a “dope governor” in Tuesday’s cabinet meeting.
Community Response
Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), told reporters that his organization has verified fewer than a dozen arrests so far.
Despite the looming operation, Hussein noted that approximately 95 percent of Somali Minnesotans are U.S. citizens, and roughly half were born in the United States.
“We believe this is political rhetoric and an attack against our community,” Hussein said.
Implications for Maine
While the federal operation centers on Minnesota, Trump’s comments, blunt and sweeping, are certain to resonate in Maine, which has one of the fastest-growing Somali communities in New England. With Somali populations concentrated in Lewiston, Portland, and nearby communities, local leaders are watching closely to see whether enforcement strategies expand eastward.
For now, Maine remains outside the scope of the planned Minnesota sweep, but Trump’s remarks signal that his administration’s approach toward Somali immigrant communities nationwide may be entering a more aggressive phase.
