MINNEAPOLIS, United States — Federal officials have confirmed that individuals of Somali origin were among those arrested in an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis this week, an operation that commenced just two days before President Donald Trump publicly demanded the expulsion of immigrants from the Horn of Africa country.
The arrests began on Monday, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which released its first statement on the operation on Thursday.
The DHS provided profiles for twelve individuals apprehended, including five from Somalia, with the remainder from Mexico and El Salvador.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin characterized the operation as necessary for public safety, portraying all those apprehended as dangerous criminals with convictions for offenses spanning from fraud and vehicle theft to criminal sexual conduct and driving under the influence (DUI).
The operation occurred amidst rising tensions following President Trump’s harsh rhetoric targeting the city’s large Somali population, the largest in North America.
During a televised cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Trump reacted to reports of government fraud by calling immigrants there “garbage” and declaring he wanted them sent “back to where they came from.”
The President’s anti-immigration stance has drawn sharp criticism from local Democratic leadership. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey strongly condemned Trump’s attacks on the city’s Somali community and, on Thursday, called on Americans to “love and respect” Minnesota’s Somali immigrant community.
Trump’s use of aggressive language against immigrants has intensified since taking office in January, accompanying a broader federal effort to drive deportations to record levels.
Operations in New Orleans
In parallel to the Minneapolis operation, federal officials also announced on Thursday the arrest of dozens of people in New Orleans, another major city led by Democrats.
In New Orleans, protesters disrupted a city council meeting on the second day of the operation, demanding that city property be declared “ICE Free” zones where federal immigration agents would be barred from staging operations.
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Protesters accused federal agents of indiscriminate targeting, specifically alleging that they apprehended people of color, including U.S. citizens, with no criminal record, an allegation the DHS denies.
New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno expressed concern over the chilling effect the operation was having on the city’s most vulnerable residents.
“We must do what we can to protect New Orleans and ensure due process is followed for all of our residents,” she said in a statement on Wednesday, while announcing an online portal for citizens to report abuse by federal immigration officers.
The enforcement efforts have, however, been supported by Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, a Republican.
