Members of Minnesota’s somali-American community are grappling with increased fear and anxiety following a series of critical remarks from former President Donald Trump and a concurrent rise in immigration enforcement activity. Trump’s recent statements, alleging a negative impact from Somali immigrants and linking them to alleged fraud, have sparked concern amongst community leaders and residents. The situation is unfolding against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny over a state food assistance program and renewed immigration enforcement efforts beginning Wednesday.
Fuente de la imagen, Aj Awer
-
- Autor, Brandon Drenon
- Título del autor, BBC News
-
Members of the Somali-American community in Minnesota are expressing growing fear following a recent escalation in criticism from President Donald Trump.
Community leaders told the BBC that apprehension is widespread after Trump claimed he doesn’t want Somalis in the United States and that the country “is going to hell” if it continues to accept what he called “garbage.” The remarks come amid heightened concerns over immigration enforcement in the state.
“When the president of the U.S. attacks you, it doesn’t feel good,” said Aj Awed, executive director of the Cedar-Riverside Community Council, which represents a neighborhood known as “Little Mogadishu” due to its large Somali population.
Concerns have been further fueled by reports of increased law enforcement activity targeting undocumented immigrants in Minnesota. Awed said the community council is discussing the risks of holding a planned annual event in person next week due to the ongoing operation.
“The people being affected by this are people who don’t speak English very well, but have been citizens for decades,” Awed explained. “Having an accent doesn’t make you any less American.”
Trump made the disparaging remarks while criticizing the Somali community at the White House on Tuesday. “I don’t want them in our country, frankly… their country is a mess,” he said.
Awed described the comments as “dangerous,” adding that “it’s not appropriate for a president to attack other Americans.”
Fuente de la imagen, Getty Images
The president’s comments came in response to a question about whether Minnesota’s Democratic Governor Tim Walz should resign amid allegations of widespread fraud in a state food assistance program.
Dozens of people have been charged in connection with a scheme federal prosecutors say involved a charity fraudulently billing the state of Minnesota for meals for children during the COVID-19 pandemic. This case underscores the ongoing challenges of fraud within social programs.
Several Somali immigrants were implicated in the alleged scheme, which cost the state tens of millions of dollars, according to Kayseh Magan, a former prosecutor with the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office.
While those accused represent a small fraction of Minnesota’s large Somali population, Trump has repeatedly criticized the community. Last month, he wrote in a post that the state has become a “hub for money laundering fraud” and last week alleged that “hundreds of thousands of Somalis are ripping off our country.”
On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee announced an investigation into Walz’s handling of the aid program.
The Trump administration also claimed it was investigating allegations that Minnesota taxpayer money was being funneled to al-Shabab, a Somalia-based al-Qaeda affiliated Islamist group.
When asked about these claims last month, Walz said, “You can’t paint everyone with the same brush, demonizing them, putting them at risk when there’s no evidence to support it.”
“But if they want to help us and pursue the criminals and make sure there’s no connection or find out where the money went, we appreciate that.”
“Anyone Who Looks Like Me Is Scared”
Jamal Osman, a member of the Minneapolis City Council, moved to the U.S. at age 14 and is a naturalized citizen.
“Anyone who looks like me is scared right now,” he told CBS News.
Regarding the fraud allegations Trump repeatedly mentioned in his criticism of the Somali community, Osman commented, “My community is outraged. Yes, there are people who commit crimes, but you can’t blame an entire community for what a few individuals did.”
Fuente de la imagen, Abdilatif Hassan
The Trump administration canceled the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program, designed for immigrants from countries in crisis, for Somali residents living in Minnesota.
Authorities said the immigration enforcement operation would focus on individuals with final deportation orders. The operation began Wednesday, according to CBS News, the BBC’s U.S. partner.
“ICE is already here,” said Kowsar Mohamed, a resident of south Minneapolis. The city is home to more than 80,000 people of Somali descent.
“We’re seeing activity on the ground – people are just being pulled over and asked about their immigration status. That’s not a data-driven approach,” she said.
Most people have the necessary identification, so the fear isn’t about having papers, but about mistakes.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, denied that people were being targeted based on race.
“Every day, ICE enforces the laws of the nation across the country,” said Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “What makes someone a target for ICE is not their race or ethnicity, but whether they are in the country illegally.”
Local community organizations had been anticipating an increase in immigration enforcement, but following Trump’s comments, they have stepped up preparations, Mohamed said.
One organization, Monarca, has scheduled a “legal observer training” in Minneapolis to educate people about their rights when witnessing federal immigration activity.
Other ways the community is preparing, Mohamed explained, is by having emergency contacts ready to use in case of encounters with ICE and private messaging groups where people share photos of unmarked cars and masked agents.
“Everyone is going to be cautious,” she said. “Is there fear? Of course. But no one is going to hide.”
Subscribe here to our new newsletter to receive a selection of our best content each Friday.
And remember you can receive notifications in our app. Download the latest version and activate them.
