Former US President Donald Trump has launched an extraordinary verbal attack on Somali immigrants in Minnesota, labelling them "garbage" and claiming they "come from Hell." His inflammatory remarks come as his administration prepares to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) "strike teams" to arrest hundreds of Somali nationals in the city of Minneapolis.
Inflammatory Rhetoric and Planned Raids
The comments were made on Tuesday, 2 December 2025, following a shooting in Washington, D.C., carried out by an Afghan national. In a rant that conflated separate events, Trump accused Somali refugees of "ripping off" the state of Minnesota and contributing nothing to society. He also directed his derogatory language towards Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who is of Somali descent and represents a Minneapolis district.
Trump has a consistent history of using divisive language against Minnesota's sizable Somali community and Rep. Omar. The announcement of planned ICE operations, involving hundreds of arrests, has been interpreted by critics as a direct escalation following his rhetoric.
Local Leaders Condemn Federal Plans
The prospect of a large-scale federal immigration operation has been met with fierce condemnation from local officials in Minnesota. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey stated that the move represents "a frightening moment for our Somali community," adding emphatically, "That’s not American. That’s not what we are about."
City Council member Jamal Osman joined Mayor Frey in criticising the planned actions. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz went further, dismissing the operation as a politically motivated "PR stunt" designed to stoke fear and division rather than address genuine policy concerns.
A Community on Edge
The combination of targeted, pejorative language from a former president and the threat of imminent enforcement action has placed the Somali community in Minneapolis under significant strain. Community leaders fear the operations will sow distrust and panic, damaging years of local integration efforts.
The situation highlights the ongoing, tense national debate around immigration policy and rhetoric in the United States. With Trump actively campaigning for a return to the White House, his comments and their connection to administrative actions are being scrutinised for their impact on both community safety and political discourse.
