President Donald Trump drew widespread condemnation Tuesday after referring to Somali immigrants as “garbage” during a Cabinet meeting, escalating tensions with Minnesota officials and Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Remarks Target Somali Community and Rep. Ilhan Omar
Trump claimed the nation was “at a tipping point” and argued the U.S. was “going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country.” He used the same slur for Rep. Omar, who responded online, calling Trump’s fixation on her “creepy” and urging him to “get the help he desperately needs.”
The comments sharply contrasted with Trump’s outreach to Somali voters during his 2024 reelection campaign, when he praised their desire for “safety and security.”
Backdrop: Fraud Allegations and Political Feud
The remarks came amid a political clash between Trump and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz following a New York Times report alleging years of fraud within parts of Minnesota’s Somali community. Critics claimed state leaders hesitated to act out of fear of alienating Somali voters.
Walz pushed back, saying he supports prosecution of crime but criticized “indiscriminately targeting immigrants” as a political stunt. House Oversight Chair James Comer has since launched an investigation, seeking documents from Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.
Minnesota Leaders Defend Somali Residents
Minneapolis officials rejected Trump’s rhetoric, noting the city’s Somali population—more than 80,000 strong—is largely made up of U.S. citizens. Mayor Jacob Frey warned that intensified ICE enforcement could result in wrongful arrests of American citizens.
City Council Member Jamal Osman criticized the administration for “othering” Somali Americans. “Our Somali American neighbors deserve to feel safe in their own country,” he said.
ICE Activity Expected to Increase
Federal border czar Tom Homan confirmed Tuesday that ICE operations in Minnesota will ramp up but offered no timeline. The escalation follows increasing anti-immigrant language from Trump, including references to the recent shooting of two National Guard members in Washington, D.C., allegedly by an Afghan national.
A Community Under Scrutiny
Somali Americans, many of whom arrived as refugees following the 1990s civil war, now number more than 260,000 nationwide. Census data shows about 73% are naturalized citizens.
As federal scrutiny intensifies and political rhetoric rises, Minnesota leaders emphasize that they will continue standing with the state’s Somali community—and push back against efforts to paint citizens and neighbors as threats.
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