US President Donald Trump has said he does not want Somali immigrants in the US, telling reporters they should 'go back to where they came from' and 'their country is no good for a reason.' 'I don't want them in our country, I'll be honest with you,' he said during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Trump stated the US would 'go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country.' His disparaging remarks come as immigration authorities are reportedly planning an enforcement operation in Minnesota's large Somali community. In response, the prime minister of Somalia commented that Trump's statements should be ignored.
Officials in Minnesota have condemned the proposed ICE operation, arguing it could unfairly affect American citizens who have ties to the East African nation. Minneapolis and St. Paul, known as the Twin Cities, host one of the largest Somali communities in the world. The planned operation, together with Trump's comments, represents a shift towards more stringent immigration policies targeting the Somali community, whose protected status in the US was also recently threatened by the president.
Furthermore, Trump criticized Representative Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American elected to Congress, stating she 'hates everybody' and calling her incompetent, to which Omar responded that Trump's obsession with her is 'creepy' and indicated he needs help.
ICE has been directed by the Trump administration to focus on undocumented Somali immigrants, with hundreds likely to be targeted when the operation commences this week. The assistant secretary of Homeland Security defended the ICE actions by stating targets are based on legal status rather than race or ethnicity.
Minnesota leaders, including the state's governor and local lawmakers, have spoken out against the intent to raid Somali immigrant neighborhoods, emphasizing that many individuals in the community are indeed legal citizens. This recent strengthening of immigration enforcement comes in the wake of national security concerns following violent incidents attributed to individuals entering the US under humanitarian programs.
As Trump continues to vocalize his hardline stance on immigration, the implications for the Somali community and broader immigrant policies remain contentious.
Officials in Minnesota have condemned the proposed ICE operation, arguing it could unfairly affect American citizens who have ties to the East African nation. Minneapolis and St. Paul, known as the Twin Cities, host one of the largest Somali communities in the world. The planned operation, together with Trump's comments, represents a shift towards more stringent immigration policies targeting the Somali community, whose protected status in the US was also recently threatened by the president.
Furthermore, Trump criticized Representative Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American elected to Congress, stating she 'hates everybody' and calling her incompetent, to which Omar responded that Trump's obsession with her is 'creepy' and indicated he needs help.
ICE has been directed by the Trump administration to focus on undocumented Somali immigrants, with hundreds likely to be targeted when the operation commences this week. The assistant secretary of Homeland Security defended the ICE actions by stating targets are based on legal status rather than race or ethnicity.
Minnesota leaders, including the state's governor and local lawmakers, have spoken out against the intent to raid Somali immigrant neighborhoods, emphasizing that many individuals in the community are indeed legal citizens. This recent strengthening of immigration enforcement comes in the wake of national security concerns following violent incidents attributed to individuals entering the US under humanitarian programs.
As Trump continues to vocalize his hardline stance on immigration, the implications for the Somali community and broader immigrant policies remain contentious.
