US President Donald Trump has said he does not want Somali immigrants in the US, telling reporters they should 'go back to where they came from' and 'their country is no good for a reason'.
'I don’t want them in our country, I’ll be honest with you,' he said during a cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Trump claimed that the US would 'go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country'.
His disparaging comments occurred as immigration authorities were reported to be planning an enforcement operation in Minnesota's large Somali community.
In response, the Prime Minister of Somalia stated that he would not give Trump's comments importance and suggested they should be disregarded.
Officials in Minnesota condemned the reported ICE operation, arguing it could unfairly sweep up American citizens who may appear to be from Somalia.
Minneapolis and St. Paul, known as the Twin Cities, house one of the largest Somali communities in the world. The planned operation and Trump's comments represent an intensification of the president's recent criticisms against Minnesota's Somali community, whose decades-long protected status Trump recently pledged to revoke.
Trump’s comments come amid a broader crackdown on immigration, aggravated by a recent incident involving an Afghan suspect in a shooting in Washington D.C., although he did not mention that incident in relation to Somalis.
The remarks drew backlash, including from Representative Ilhan Omar, who responded via social media, calling Trump's fixation "creepy" and suggested he needed help.
US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has reported plans to target undocumented Somali immigrants in the Twin Cities, which could impact hundreds when the operation begins. In response to inquiries, a spokeswoman from the Department of Homeland Security stated that targeting by ICE is based on legal status, not race or ethnicity.
Local leaders, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, challenged the validity of the ICE operation, highlighting that many in the Somali community are American citizens.
The Trump administration's increased scrutiny of immigrants follows calls from Homeland Security officials to combat visa fraud and tackle broader immigration issues. Meanwhile, Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre opted for a position of peace, implying that making an issue of Trump's comments could cause more harm than good. 'There are things you pass with 'Salaaman' - responding to offence with peace,' he stated.
