federal authorities are planning an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area of Minnesota that will focus on targeting undocumented Somali immigrants who have final deportation orders.
This operation comes after President Trump announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalis living in the U.S. and made several critical remarks about the community in Minnesota.
Target of the Operation: The ICE operation, expected to begin this week (early December 2025), is primarily focused on individuals with final deportation orders. A federal official mentioned that hundreds of people are expected to be targeted.
TPS Status: Last month, President Trump said he was terminating the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali migrants, which is a legal safeguard against deportation for people from countries deemed unsafe. According to a report produced for Congress, about 705 Somalis in the U.S. held this status nationwide.
President Trump’s announcement followed claims of “Somali gangs” and “billions of dollars” in fraudulent activity, without providing specific evidence. These claims have been widely condemned by local Minnesota officials, including Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz, who defend the community’s contributions to the state’s economy and culture.
The news has caused significant fear and concern within Minnesota’s large Somali community. Local leaders have rallied in support of the community, calling the operation “terrorizing” and stressing the importance of due process.
The good news is that the Somalies don’t care if their Christmas holidays are disrupted.
federal authorities are planning an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area of Minnesota that will focus on targeting undocumented Somali immigrants who have final deportation orders.
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since minneapolis has their own somali police force who’s stated purpose is to protect & defend fellow somalians, it will be interesting to watch this ICE enforcement action play out.