Trump Says Somalis Should Not Be In US As ICE Targets Minnesota Community

US President Donald Trump has intensified his criticism of Somali immigrants, telling reporters during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that he does not want them in the United States. “I don’t want them in our country, I’ll be honest with you,” Trump said, adding that Somalia is “barely a country” and that its people “just run around killing each other.”

Trump’s remarks come as US immigration authorities reportedly plan an enforcement operation targeting undocumented Somali residents in Minnesota, home to one of the largest Somali communities in the world. Officials in the state have condemned the move, warning it could unfairly affect American citizens of Somali descent.

The Trump administration has also signaled broader restrictions, including reviewing green cards issued to immigrants from several countries and halting all asylum decisions. Earlier this week, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recommended a travel ban on nations she claims are “flooding” the US with criminal activity.

During his cabinet remarks, Trump also criticised Representative Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American elected to Congress, calling her “incompetent” and claiming she “hates everybody.” Omar responded on social media, describing the president’s remarks as “creepy” and saying he “desperately needs help.”

Local officials in Minnesota have voiced concern over the reported ICE operation, which is expected to target hundreds of people. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said such a move “means due process will be violated.” State Senator Zaynab Mohamed emphasised that the vast majority of Somali residents are US citizens, while Democratic Governor Tim Walz criticised what he called a “PR stunt” targeting immigrants.

The Somali Community Coalition of the United States and Somali officials have also condemned the rhetoric. Somalia’s state minister of foreign affairs, Ali Omar, stated on social media that the country should not be used as a “scapegoat or distraction from failures elsewhere.”

Trump’s attacks on the Somali community are part of a wider immigration crackdown that follows last week’s shooting of two National Guard members in Washington DC by an Afghan national. The administration has vowed to review Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali residents in Minnesota, a programme that has existed since 1991 to protect those fleeing conflict in the East African nation.

The reported enforcement plans, alongside new travel restrictions and visa reviews, signal a major escalation in the administration’s focus on immigrant communities from conflict-affected countries, drawing criticism from local leaders, human rights groups, and foreign officials.

Mlelissa Enoch