Overview
- ICE operations in Minneapolis–St. Paul are active targeting Somalis with final deportation orders, with reports describing roughly 100 agents and plans to pursue hundreds of people.
- President Trump intensified rhetoric on Wednesday after calling Somalis “garbage” a day earlier, later claiming they had “destroyed Minnesota” and again targeting Rep. Ilhan Omar.
- DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin defended the focus as based on analyses of fraud and criminality, citing cases such as marriage fraud and high-profile fraud probes in Minnesota.
- Policy steps include pausing immigration applications for 19 countries that include Somalia, reexamining Somali green card holders, and the president saying he would end Temporary Protected Status for Somalis.
- Minnesota leaders and advocacy groups condemned the actions, reported citizens being questioned, organized an airport protest, and Minneapolis’ mayor barred city parking lots from being used for immigration enforcement, noting most Somali Minnesotans are citizens or long-term residents.