US Federal officials confirmed Thursday that several people of Somali origin were arrested in Minneapolis as part of a nationwide immigration crackdown, just days after President Donald Trump used inflammatory language against Somali immigrants.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said arrests began on Monday, offering profiles of 12 detainees -- five from Somalia and the rest from Mexico and El Salvador. Officials described them as “dangerous criminals,” citing convictions for offenses ranging from fraud and vehicle theft to criminal sexual conduct and DUI.
The arrests came two days after Trump attacked Somali immigrants during a televised cabinet meeting, calling them “garbage” and saying he wanted them sent “back to where they came from.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned Trump’s comments and urged Americans to “love and respect” Minnesota’s Somali community -- the largest in North America.
Trump’s remarks received enthusiastic praise from his allies. Vice President JD Vance banged the table in approval, while White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt labelled the outburst “amazing” and an “epic moment.”
Critics warn racism becoming normalized
Trump’s language marks a continuation of rhetoric dating back to his first term, when he demanded to know why the US accepted immigrants from “shithole countries.” Civil rights groups say the president’s attacks on immigrants of colour have become more frequent and overt.
“Racism is no longer a dog whistle in America,” said LaTosha Brown of the Black Voters Matter Fund. “We’re dehumanizing and targeting people.”
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson defended Trump, saying his criticism of “radical Somali migrants” reflects the concerns of Americans who have “suffered at the hands of these schemes.”
The US Treasury Department also confirmed it was investigating claims that tax funds from Minnesota may have been diverted to the militant group Al-Shabaab.
Political scientist Alvin Tillery said Trump’s rhetoric goes far beyond dog-whistle politics of earlier Republican leaders. “They never went anywhere near this kind of hateful rhetoric targeting communities of colour,” he said. “It’s very dangerous.”
Immigration crackdown spreads to New Orleans
Federal officials also arrested dozens of people in New Orleans this week, prompting protests at a city council meeting where activists demanded “ICE Free” zones.
Protesters accused DHS of targeting people of colour, including US citizens with no criminal history -- claims DHS denies.
Mayor-elect Helena Moreno said the operation had created a “culture of fear” among vulnerable residents and launched an online portal for reporting abuses by federal immigration agents.
Trump doubles down while critics warn of consequences
Trump defended his rhetoric on Wednesday, calling Somalia “the worst country on earth” and claiming Somali immigrants had “destroyed the country.” He again targeted Representative Ilhan Omar -- herself a Somali-born US citizen -- saying she should be “thrown the hell out of our country.”
Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Jeanne Shaheen, condemned Trump’s comments as “xenophobic and unacceptable,” warning they could fuel anti-American sentiment and be exploited by extremist groups.
Historians also warn that such rhetoric poses real risks to communities of colour. Leaked political chats containing racist and antisemitic content among young Republican operatives have heightened concerns about normalization of hate speech.
Minnesota is home to more than 76,000 Somali Americans, over half born in the US Community leaders say Trump’s comments, combined with reports of DHS raids, have sparked widespread fear.
Jaylani Hussein of CAIR–Minnesota said even Somali Americans who voted for Trump last year now worry for their safety.
The fallout echoes events in Ohio last year, when Trump falsely claimed Haitian migrants were eating pets—triggering threats, business closures and an exodus of Haitian residents.
Immigration policies reflect Trump’s hardline rhetoric
Trump has nearly blocked all new refugees except white South Africans, whom he falsely claims face “white genocide.” His administration has also been criticized for sweeps in which masked federal agents detained people who “look Latino” or spoke Spanish.
This week, the White House paused immigration applications from 19 non-European countries following the shooting of two National Guard soldiers by an Afghan national admitted under a special resettlement program.
Although immigration remains one of Trump’s stronger political issues, Reuters/Ipsos polling shows his net approval on immigration fell from +7 in January to -10 in November.
“It is easy to scapegoat immigrants and say they’re the reason for these problems,” said Republican commentator Melik Abdul.
