President Trump unleashed a series of blistering attacks on Somali immigrants this week, referring to them as “garbage” and claiming they’ve “destroyed our country” — inflammatory rhetoric that has sent shockwaves through Minnesota’s large Somali American community.
During a campaign rally, Trump declared that Somali immigrants “contribute nothing” and should be removed from the United States. “I don’t want them in our country,” Trump said to his supporters. “We can go one way or the other, and we’re going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country.”
Community Leaders Push Back
The Minneapolis-St. Paul area, home to approximately 84,000 people of Somali descent — nearly one-third of all Somalis living in the United States — has quickly mobilized in response to the former president’s characterizations.
Somali-born entrepreneur Hamse Warfa, who runs a nationwide education nonprofit and has built several successful businesses, rejected Trump’s description in stark terms. “I am not garbage. I’m a proud American citizen,” Warfa stated in response to the comments.
State Senator Omar Fateh emphasized that such rhetoric carries real consequences. “The Somali community is very resilient. We’re very strong. We are not going to be intimidated or scapegoated,” Fateh declared while addressing concerned community members.
What’s especially troubling for many in the community? Federal authorities are reportedly preparing a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota focusing on undocumented Somalis — despite the fact that most of Minnesota’s Somali population consists of U.S. citizens.
Broader Pattern of Targeting
Trump’s administration has already announced it was pausing all immigration applications for people from 19 countries, including Somalia, following the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington.
The former president also singled out Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar, who was born in Somalia and is now a U.S. citizen. “Somalians should be out of here. They’ve destroyed our country,” Trump asserted, adding that Omar specifically “should be thrown out of the country.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey wasn’t spared either. Trump labeled him a “fool” for criticizing the president’s inflammatory language toward the Somali community.
This isn’t the first time the former president has targeted immigrant communities with harsh rhetoric. But the specific focus on Somali Americans — many of whom fled civil war and have built thriving businesses, joined civic organizations, and contributed to Minnesota’s economy — has struck a particularly raw nerve.
As tensions rise and the promised immigration operations loom, Minnesota’s Somali American community continues to navigate the uncomfortable spotlight — caught between their American identity and a political climate increasingly hostile to their very presence.
