Arrest campaign targets Somali migrants in the United States
The arrests in Minneapolis came after the U.S. president insulted the Somali community, calling them “garbage.”
Federal officials said that individuals of Somali origin were among those arrested in an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, two days after President Donald Trump directed harsh insults at migrants from the Horn of Africa, saying he wanted them out of the United States.
In its first statement on the operation, issued Thursday, the Department of Homeland Security said the arrests began on Monday. Officials did not provide a total number but released information about twelve detainees: five were from Somalia, while the others were from Mexico and El Salvador.
In the statement, Tricia McLaughlin, assistant to the Secretary of Homeland Security, described all of them as dangerous criminals convicted of offenses including fraud, car theft, criminal sexual conduct, and driving under the influence.
Jacob Frey, the Democratic mayor of Minneapolis, criticized Trump’s attacks on the city’s Somali residents and urged Americans on Thursday to show love and respect for the Somali immigrant community in Minnesota, the largest in North America.
Allies of the U.S. president praised his racially charged remarks against Somalis and his attacks on Minnesota politicians who support them. During a televised government meeting on Tuesday, Trump reacted to reports of corruption linked to Minnesota residents by calling migrants “trash” and saying he wanted to send them “back where they came from.” He also called the mayor of Minneapolis a “fool.”
Trump also targeted Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar, saying: “She should not be a member of Congress and should be expelled from our country.”
In a post on X, Omar responded: “My message to Trump: hate speech will not work. Somali-Americans are here to stay.”
On Tuesday, the U.S. administration took another step in tightening migration policies by halting all immigration processing for citizens of nineteen countries, including Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Somalia. The decision is part of a series of measures aimed at reducing migrant entry into the United States.
The move came just days after U.S. officials announced plans to impose stricter migration controls following a shooting last week that killed a National Guard soldier and injured another. Authorities stated that the perpetrator was a young Afghan, sparking renewed debate over security vetting procedures and the mechanisms for allowing entry into the United States.
According to a memo issued by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the review of applications for permanent residency and naturalization has been suspended for nationals of twelve countries subject to a travel ban since last June. These countries include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. A second list of seven additional countries was added: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
The memo stated that the suspected gunman in the November 26 shooting near the White House was an Afghan who arrived in the United States under the evacuation program implemented during the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan in 2021 . He appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to murder.
The immigration agency emphasized that it serves as the first line of defense in preventing what it calls “dangerous individuals” from exploiting the United States as a safe haven. It added that recent events highlight the potential risks of insufficient security screening or expedited processing, citing the latest shooting as an example of the dangers that could arise without stringent vetting procedures.
