On December 2, 2025, President Donald Trump made disparaging comments about Somali immigrants during a Cabinet meeting, referring to them as "garbage" and expressing a desire for them to return to their home country. His remarks came as reports surfaced about increased immigration enforcement actions targeting undocumented Somalis in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, which has a significant Somali population.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is reportedly deploying approximately 100 agents to focus on individuals with final deportation orders, as part of a broader initiative to enhance immigration enforcement. This operation has drawn criticism from local leaders, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who described it as a public relations maneuver rather than a genuine effort to address crime. Walz emphasized that indiscriminate targeting of immigrants does not provide viable solutions to community issues.

Trump's comments included negative characterizations of Somalia and its citizens, suggesting they contribute nothing to the United States. He specifically targeted Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democratic representative from Minnesota, who has been a frequent subject of his criticism since her election in 2019. Trump claimed that individuals from the Somali community had defrauded the state of billions of dollars, a statement that was met with pushback from Walz, who highlighted the positive contributions of the Somali population in Minnesota, estimated at around 80,000 individuals.

In response to the heightened enforcement actions, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other local officials held a press conference to express solidarity with the Somali community, affirming that local police do not engage in immigration enforcement and do not receive prior notice of federal operations. Frey stated, "To our Somali community, we love you and we stand with you," underscoring concerns that such enforcement actions could lead to violations of due process and wrongful detentions based on appearance.

The situation reflects ongoing tensions surrounding immigration policies and their implications for immigrant communities, particularly as federal operations may disproportionately affect specific groups. The Department of Homeland Security has refrained from commenting on the specifics of the operations, maintaining a policy of non-disclosure regarding potential actions.