Administration to Crack Down on Somali Immigrants in Minnesota: Source

Federal authorities are preparing a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota that would primarily focus on Somali immigrants living unlawfully in the US, according to a person familiar with the planning who spoke to the AP. The move comes as President Trump again on Tuesday escalated rhetoric about Minnesota's sizable Somali community, saying he did not want immigrants from the east African country in the US because "they contribute nothing." The enforcement operation could begin in the coming days and is expected to focus on the Minneapolis–St. Paul area and people with final orders of deportation, the person said. Teams of immigration agents would spread across the Twin Cities in what the person described as a directed, high-priority sweep, though the plans remain subject to change.

The prospect of a crackdown is likely to deepen tensions in Minnesota—home to the nation's largest Somali community. They've been coming since the 1990s, fleeing their country's long civil war and drawn by Minnesota's generous social programs. An estimated 260,000 people of Somalian descent were living in the US in 2024, according to the Census Bureau's annual American Community Survey. The largest population is in the Minneapolis area, home to about 84,000 residents, most of whom are American citizens. Ohio, Washington, and California also have significant populations.

Trump has become increasingly focused on Somalians living in the US, saying they "have caused a lot of trouble." Community leaders say Trump has inflamed tensions and revived fears of profiling. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey pushed back against Trump's depiction of Somalis and vowed that the city's police officers, many of whom are Somali, will not work with any federal agents doing immigration enforcement, saying "it's not their job." Hundreds of people are expected to be targeted in the operation, the source said. As with previous immigration operations, so-called incidental arrests are possible, meaning people who aren't targeted but lack legal status could also be detained, the person said.