ICE Hits Minneapolis, Arrests Undocumented Somali Migrants

The Trump administration has launched an aggressive new front in its immigration enforcement programme, now targeting the nation’s largest Somali population in Minneapolis.

Over 100 Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrived in the Somali migrant community for a high-priority operation intended to apprehend illegal residents. This action has sent shockwaves through a community estimated to number over 80,000 residents from the war-torn East African nation.

The incident also sparked strong reactions from city leaders, who affirmed their support for the community amid the heightened enforcement presence.

Major ICE Deployment Targets Undocumented Somali Migrants

About 100 federal agents were deployed in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area to go after undocumented Somali immigrants. According to the New York Post, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation aims to target as many as 500 Somalis.

The immigration crackdown comes shortly after the shocking revelations of massive fraud that allegedly originated within the Somali migrant community. The alleged scams have reportedly cost Minnesota taxpayers a staggering £749 million ($1 billion), according to the state’s Department of Human Services.

The community has the largest number of Somali-Americans in the US. Many of them have legal status, and some are naturalised citizens. So, there were fears that the raid may mistakenly target legal migrants.

A federal official confirmed the operation targeting Somalis to CNN on Tuesday.

However, the Department of Homeland Security insisted that the operation was not intended to target specific communities. The federal crackdown has since expanded, with a stepped-up presence of ICE agents reported in New Orleans as of Tuesday.

Assistant Secretary Denies Targeting Somalis

The ICE operation in the Somali community sparked fears that the administration is targeting the Somalis. In defence, Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin clarified that the immigration crackdown had nothing to do with ‘race or ethnicity’ and was dictated solely by immigration status.

‘Every day, ICE enforces the laws of the nation across the country.’ McLaughlin said, before explaining how ICE chooses its targets. ‘What makes someone a target of ICE is not their race or ethnicity, but the fact that they are in the country illegally. We do not discuss future or potential operations.’

McLaughlin has seemingly dismissed the creeping fears that ICE is targeting the Somalis by insisting that one’s community affiliation has nothing to do with the operation. Instead, they go after those who have committed legal violations.

Immigration Crackdown Happens After Trump’s Scathing Rhetoric

One reason many believe ICE is targeting the Somalis is because of the timing of the operation. It happens on the heels of President Donald Trump‘s scathing remarks about the Somalis.

During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Trump said that he didn’t want Somali immigrants in the country. The US president also referred to the community and Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Somali immigrant, as ‘garbage,’ per CNN.

‘I don’t want them in our country,’ Trump flat-out said, expressing his distaste towards the Somalis. Trump didn’t stop his tirade there; he went on to criticise their nation.

‘Their country is no good for a reason. Their country stinks, and we don’t want them in our country,’ Trump continued.

City Leaders Support the Somalis

City leaders do not share Trump’s hostility toward the Somalis. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter have both expressed their support for the Somali community, according to CNN.

Ferry also took to X (formerly Twitter) and declared that Somalis are ‘our neighbors, our friends, and our family.’ He added that they are ‘welcome in our city’ and nothing will change that, including Trump’s actions against them. Frey said that they would not join the immigration enforcement operations.

Carter also shared his sentiment on Facebook. According to him, ‘Our immigrant neighbors strengthen the fabric of our nation—regardless of where they come from. Our Somali community is no exception.’

Originally published on IBTimes UK