Donald Trump's Comments Spark Controversy Over Minnesota's Somali Community

Fri Dec 05 2025 15:35:02 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

President Trump's disparaging remarks towards Minnesota's Somali immigrants have reignited discussions concerning their contributions and challenges within the community amidst rising scrutiny and plans for immigration enforcement.

Recent comments by President Trump disparaged Minnesota's Somali community, claiming they 'contribute nothing' to the U.S. The remarks coincide with federal authorities' contemplation of a targeted immigration operation focused on illegal Somali immigrants in the state. Minnesota hosts the largest Somali American population in the U.S., with many individuals deeply integrated into local society. Community leaders and state officials have pushed back against the broad accusations, highlighting the positive contributions of Somalis and questioning the unfounded allegations linking them to incidents of fraud and terrorism.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Recent statements by President Donald Trump and top administration officials disparaging Minnesota’s large Somali community have focused renewed attention on the immigrants from the war-torn east African country and their descendants.

Trump on Tuesday said he did not want Somalis in the U.S. because “they contribute nothing.” The president spoke soon after a person familiar with the planning said federal authorities are preparing a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota that would primarily focus on Somali immigrants living unlawfully in the U.S.

Here are some things to know about Somalis in Minnesota:

Largest Somali American population in the US

An estimated 260,000 people of Somali descent were living in the U.S. in 2024, according to the Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey. The largest population is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, home to about 84,000 residents, most of whom are American citizens.

Almost 58% of the Somalis in Minnesota were born in the U.S. Of the foreign-born Somalis in Minnesota, an overwhelming majority – 87% — are naturalized U.S. citizens. Many fled the long civil war in Somalia and were drawn to the state’s welcoming social programs.

Trump targets the community

Trump has become increasingly focused in recent weeks on Somalis living in the U.S., saying they “have caused a lot of trouble.” His rhetoric escalated after a conservative news outlet, City Journal, claimed taxpayer dollars from defrauded government programs have flowed to the terrorist group al-Shabab.

While Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a social media post that his agency is investigating whether “hardworking Minnesotans’ tax dollars may have been diverted to the terrorist organization,” little evidence has emerged so far to prove a link.

Last month, Trump announced he was terminating Temporary Protected Status for Somali migrants in Minnesota, a legal safeguard against deportation. This drew immediate pushback from some state leaders and immigration experts, who characterized Trump’s declaration as a legally dubious effort to sow fear and suspicion.

Fraud allegations lead to pushback

Local Somali community leaders, along with allies such as Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, have pushed back against blaming the broader Somali community for recent cases of fraud in public programs, including the Feeding Our Future scandal.

The defendants, mostly U.S. citizens, included a significant number of Somalis; however, the alleged ringleader was white.

Prosecutors have raised their estimate of the thefts to $300 million amid ongoing court proceedings.

Earlier terrorism cases still echo

Authorities in Minnesota struggled for years to stem the recruitment of young Somali men by the Islamic State group and al-Shabab, with an issue surfacing as early as 2007.