Minneapolis officials say the Trump Administration has deployed up to 100 federal agents to the Twin Cities to target undocumented Somali residents. City and state leaders condemned the effort Tuesday, warning of due-process violations and rising fear in the community.
Mayor Jacob Frey said the operation began over the Thanksgiving weekend, and agents are already knocking on doors. Speaking partly in Somali, Frey told residents, “We love you, we stand with you… Targeting Somali people means mistakes will be made and American citizens will be detained simply for looking Somali.”
A local Somali immigration attorney confirmed that ICE arrested at least one asylum-seeker Tuesday morning at Fort Snelling, despite his pending case and work authorization. Attorneys say they continue to receive reports of ICE agents detaining people and appearing at homes across Minneapolis.
The crackdown follows inflammatory remarks from President Trump, who said during a cabinet meeting, “I don’t want them in our country… Ilhan Omar is garbage. Her friends are garbage.” He vowed to intensify enforcement against Somali immigrants in Minnesota, which has the largest Somali-born population in the U.S. Roughly 73% are naturalized citizens.
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter condemned the deployment, saying national attitudes toward immigrants have “shifted the darker the skin the immigrants have,” calling the trend “un-American” and dangerous. “We stand together,” he said.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara clarified that the department will not assist federal immigration enforcement or share information with immigration authorities. Officers will only appear at raid locations to maintain public safety and protect community members. “The fear immigrant communities are experiencing is real,” O’Hara said, noting people are afraid to worship or shop at immigrant-owned businesses.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he expects a growing federal presence and warned the President may again threaten to use the National Guard. Minneapolis City Council member Jamal Osman, who represents the Somali-majority Sixth Ward, reassured residents: “Our president is racist, xenophobic, Islamophobic — and we are going to fight that.”
Immigration attorneys across the metro said they’ve spent the past 24 hours advising frightened families about their rights. Some reported clients being detained outside their homes shortly before work. They urged affected residents to stay informed and contact legal support immediately.
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