MINNEAPOLIS, United States – Federal officials confirmed on Thursday that individuals of Somali descent were among those arrested during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, which took place two days after President Donald Trump made derogatory remarks about immigrants from the Horn of Africa nation and expressed his desire for them to leave the United States.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, which issued its first statement regarding the Minneapolis operation on Monday, arrests began on that day.
While officials did not provide a total number of arrests, they detailed the backgrounds of 12 individuals taken into custody, five of whom were from Somalia, with the others originating from Mexico and El Salvador.
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary, Tricia McLaughlin, described all those apprehended in the statement as dangerous criminals, with criminal histories including fraud, vehicle theft, criminal sexual conduct, and driving under the influence.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, has sharply condemned President Trump’s disparaging comments about the city’s Somali community and, on Thursday, urged Americans to “love and respect” Minnesota’s Somali immigrant population, which constitutes the largest such community in North America.
Trump’s racially charged remarks targeting Somalis and his criticism of Minnesota officials who have defended them have received support from his allies. During a televised cabinet meeting on Tuesday, he responded to reports of government fraud within segments of Minnesota’s substantial Somali population by labeling immigrants there as “garbage” and stating he wanted them “back where they came from.”
Anti-immigration rhetoric featured prominently in Trump’s campaign. Since assuming office in January, he has directed aggressive operations by federal agents in masks nationwide, aiming to set deportation records. Throughout this period, Trump’s public discourse concerning immigrants has become increasingly severe.
CRACKDOWN IN NEW ORLEANS
Federal officials also announced on Thursday that they had detained numerous individuals in New Orleans, another city governed by Democrats. During the second day of the New Orleans operation, protesters interrupted a city council meeting, demanding that council members declare municipal property “ICE Free” zones where federal immigration agents would be prohibited from conducting operations.
Protesters accused federal agents of indiscriminately targeting people of color, including American citizens without criminal records, a claim that the Department of Homeland Security has rejected.
New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno reported on Wednesday that the operation had instilled a climate of fear among the city’s most vulnerable residents, as stated in her official statement.
“We must do what we can to protect New Orleans and ensure due process is followed for all of our residents,” she declared, announcing an online platform for citizens to report alleged misconduct by federal immigration officers.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican, has expressed support for federal immigration enforcement efforts.
