Donald Trump calls Somali immigrants ‘garbage’ as ICE operations reportedly planned in Minnesota – US politics live | US politics
important events
Immigration to 19 countries was stopped
Trump had threatened a dramatic crackdown on immigration from 19 countries already targeted after two National Guard soldiers were shot by an Afghan suspect last week.
He said he would permanently pause immigration from all Third World Countries to allow the US system to fully recover.
The affected countries are: Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, Republic of Congo, Cuba, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Laos, Libya, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela And Yemen.
They are among the poorest in Africa, the Middle East, and Central and Southeast Asia.
Minneapolis stands ‘with’ Somali community
Minneapolis is home to the country’s largest Somali population, with approximately 80,000 people. Most are US citizens or legal residents.
In response to Trump’s attack and the looming crackdown on immigrants, city leaders held a news conference Tuesday.
Mayor Jacob Frey said the city stands with the Somali community.
“As the Somali community, we love you and we are with you,” he said. “That commitment is rock-solid.”
He condemned the plan to target people who appeared to be from the East African country, saying it violated basic principles of American democracy.
“Targeting the Somali people means violating due process, making mistakes, and let’s be clear, it means American citizens will not be detained for any reason other than because they look Somali,” Frey said.
The city’s police chief said his department was not given advance notice of any operation and also that Minneapolis police did not assist federal agents with immigration enforcement.
ICE plans operations targeting Somalis – reports
New York Times reported It was announced on Tuesday that deportations in the Minneapolis-St Paul metropolitan area, where most Somalis reside, would be stepped up this week, focusing mainly on Somalis with final deportation orders.
According to the Times report, “strike teams” consisting of ICE agents and other federal officials will be used in this operation and approximately 100 agents will be brought in from across the country. Other media outlets, including the Associated Press, also confirmed the news.
The move comes after the right has seized on multiple fraud cases spanning many years, involving dozens of Somali residents who prosecutors allege lied to the state to get reimbursements for food payments, medical care, housing and autism services. The Trump administration has previously threatened to revoke the temporary protected status of Somalis in Minnesota, calling the state a “center of fraudulent money laundering activity.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent also announced Monday that his agency will investigate whether taxpayer dollars from Minnesotans “were diverted to the terrorist organization Al-Shabaab,” sharing a recent story from a right-wing publication that made such claims.
Trump attacked Somali community
Rachel Leingang
At the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Trump lashed out at Somalis and Somali US citizen congressional representative Ilhan Omar. He said Somalia was “bad” and “not good for some reason.”
“They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country, I’ll be honest with you,” he said. He called Ömer “garbage” and said, “If we continue to bring garbage into our country, we will go down the wrong path.”
“These are people who do nothing but complain,” he said. “They complain and get nothing from where they come from… We don’t want them in our country when they come from hell and complain and do nothing but bitch. Let them go back where they came from and fix it.”
“His obsession with me is creepy,” Omar responded in a social media post. “I hope he gets the help he desperately needs.”
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our US Politics live blog, where we track the escalating attacks on immigrants by the Trump administration.
Yesterday, President Trump used xenophobic rhetoric in his cabinet, calling Somali immigrants “trash” and saying “I don’t want them in our country” and that they “should go back to where they came from.” This comes amid reports that ICE agents were about to launch crackdowns targeting Somali communities in Minnesota.
The Trump administration yesterday also halted all immigration of people from 19 countries, including Somalia, Afghanistan, Yemen and Haiti.
A partial travel ban has been in place for 19 countries outside Europe since June, but the dramatic move brings all stages of travel, including green card and US citizenship processing, to a halt.
This is a move that affects countless people, and while there’s no word on how long the pause will last, it’s almost certain that families will be separated for longer.
I’m Frances Mao, stay with me as I tell you the important details.
