President Donald Trump has launched a fresh wave of criticism against Somali immigrants, stating his opposition to their presence in the United States. At a recent Cabinet gathering, Trump asserted that Somali migrants burden the nation’s welfare system without making significant contributions. These comments were made as immigration authorities were preparing a focused enforcement action in Minnesota, a state with a substantial Somali American population.
“I don’t want them in our country,” Trump declared, adding his belief that they “contribute nothing.” His remarks also targeted Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, whose family arrived in the U.S. as refugees from Somalia, having previously lived in a Kenyan refugee camp. Trump used harsh language, calling Omar “garbage” and suggesting her allies were similarly undesirable, stating, “Ilhan Omar is garbage. She’s garbage. Her friends are garbage.”
The President characterized immigrants from Somalia as individuals who primarily complain rather than contribute to national progress. “These aren’t people that work… These are people that do nothing but complain,” he stated. This rhetoric follows the administration’s recent decision to end deportation protections for Somali citizens, a measure in place since 1991 due to the ongoing civil war in Somalia. The planned operation in Minnesota is anticipated to target Somali individuals with final deportation orders in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region, with potential for a large number to be affected. Trump had previously pledged to deport Somalis and accused Minnesota of being a hotspot for financial crime and money laundering.