President Donald Trump has escalated his public attacks on Somali immigrants, stating at a Cabinet meeting that he does not wish to see more migrants from Somalia enter the United States. Trump asserted that these immigrants are a drain on public resources, alleging they contribute minimally to the nation. These controversial statements coincide with preparations for a focused immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, a state with the United States’ most significant Somali American population.
“They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country,” Trump declared to reporters. He further elaborated on his sentiments, stating, “Their country is no good for a reason. Your country stinks and we don’t want them in our country.” The President also revisited his criticism of Representative Ilhan Omar, whose family sought refuge in the U.S. after fleeing Somalia’s civil war and spending time in a Kenyan refugee camp.
Trump referred to immigrants he deemed undesirable as “garbage,” adding, “Ilhan Omar is garbage. She’s garbage. Her friends are garbage.” He characterized Somali immigrants as individuals who “do nothing but complain” rather than actively contributing to the country’s prosperity. These remarks follow the administration’s recent decision to terminate long-standing deportation protections for Somali nationals, which had been active since 1991 amid Somalia’s civil unrest. The planned enforcement in Minnesota is anticipated to target Somali immigrants with final deportation orders in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, with potential for hundreds to be affected. Previously, Trump had declared on social media his intention to send Somalis “back to where they came from,” labeling Minnesota a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity.”