Minneapolis Leaders Push Back as Trump Escalates Rhetoric Against Somali Community

Minneapolis officials said Tuesday they were unaware of any impending federal immigration raids targeting the city’s large Somali community, despite a New York Times report alleging that more than 100 federal agents were preparing operations in Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul. Mayor Jacob Frey emphasized that whether or not raids occur, local authorities will stand firmly with Somali residents, many of whom have lived in Minnesota for decades and have become a vital part of the state’s cultural and economic landscape.

Frey reiterated that Minneapolis police will not cooperate with federal immigration enforcement and condemned President Donald Trump’s recent inflammatory remarks, in which he referred to Somalis as “garbage” and claimed they were not welcome in the United States. The president has intensified his rhetoric toward Somali immigrants following last week’s shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, a case involving an Afghan national.

Calling Trump’s broad characterizations unacceptable, Frey noted that the vast majority of Somalis in Minnesota—home to roughly 80,000 Somali Americans—are U.S. citizens. He also warned that any federal action could mistakenly target lawful residents. Federal officials have neither confirmed nor denied planned raids, stating only that immigration laws are enforced daily across the country.

The White House has continued to defend the president’s comments, even as local leaders reject his assertions about “Somali gangs” and crime. According to government data, only 705 Somalis nationwide currently hold Temporary Protected Status, contradicting claims of widespread TPS abuse.

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter called Trump’s statements racist and xenophobic, arguing that attacks on Somali Americans undermine the nation’s core values. Carter said the debate reflects a larger question about who is included in the American “we,” stressing that Somali Americans are fully part of the country’s social fabric and deserve protection, not vilification.