Summary
President Donald Trump expressed that he does not want Somali immigrants in the United States during a cabinet meeting. This statement coincided with a planned enforcement operation by immigration authorities targeting undocumented Somali immigrants in Minnesota's large Somali community. Local officials have criticized the plan, concerned it could unjustly target American citizens.
Key Facts
- President Trump stated he does not want Somali immigrants in the U.S. and suggested they should return to Somalia.
- An operation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is planned in Minnesota to target undocumented Somali immigrants.
- Minnesota has a significant Somali community, including in Minneapolis and St. Paul (the Twin Cities), with around 80,000 people originally from Somalia.
- Local Minnesota officials oppose the operation, citing concerns it may wrongly affect American citizens.
- Trump has also criticized Representative Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American Congress member from Minnesota.
- ICE states that their operations target individuals based on their legal status, not race or ethnicity.
- The Trump administration has intensified immigration actions following a recent violent incident involving foreign nationals.
- President Trump plans to end the Temporary Protected Status program for Somali immigrants in Minnesota.
