US citizens with Somali roots are living in fear as ICE agents descend upon Minnesota's Twin Cities, sparking widespread panic among the local Somali community. Despite being US citizens, individuals of Somali descent are at risk of detention and deportation under the current crackdown.
The operation has left many Somalis feeling "continual pain" due to racist rhetoric from President Trump and his allies. The administration's actions have been described as a "racist weaponization of ICE against an entire community," with critics accusing them of targeting innocent people for arbitrary reasons.
In fact, many individuals detained by ICE had minor criminal infractions or were simply going about their daily lives when they were apprehended. One man, Abdulkadir Sharif Abdi, was arrested despite having a clean record and being sober for over 15 years.
The Somali community in Minnesota is the largest in the country, with steady growth since the 1990s. Many Somalis have become an integral part of the local politics and social fabric, with Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar serving as their most visible face. However, under Trump's administration, Somali Americans are facing a hostile environment, with officials labeling them "garbage" in public statements.
As the situation continues to unfold, many are calling for greater accountability from the government and urging the media to be more critical of Trump's actions. With the number of arrests currently unknown, concerns remain about the potential consequences for innocent individuals.
Despite the uncertainty, one thing is clear: US citizens with Somali roots deserve protection and respect under the law, just like any other American. The Intercept will continue to cover this story and hold those in power accountable for their actions.
The operation has left many Somalis feeling "continual pain" due to racist rhetoric from President Trump and his allies. The administration's actions have been described as a "racist weaponization of ICE against an entire community," with critics accusing them of targeting innocent people for arbitrary reasons.
In fact, many individuals detained by ICE had minor criminal infractions or were simply going about their daily lives when they were apprehended. One man, Abdulkadir Sharif Abdi, was arrested despite having a clean record and being sober for over 15 years.
The Somali community in Minnesota is the largest in the country, with steady growth since the 1990s. Many Somalis have become an integral part of the local politics and social fabric, with Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar serving as their most visible face. However, under Trump's administration, Somali Americans are facing a hostile environment, with officials labeling them "garbage" in public statements.
As the situation continues to unfold, many are calling for greater accountability from the government and urging the media to be more critical of Trump's actions. With the number of arrests currently unknown, concerns remain about the potential consequences for innocent individuals.
Despite the uncertainty, one thing is clear: US citizens with Somali roots deserve protection and respect under the law, just like any other American. The Intercept will continue to cover this story and hold those in power accountable for their actions.
so I'm reading about ICE agents terrorizing somalis in minnesota and it's crazy... like what even is the criteria here? minor crimes or not having a record, they're still getting detained and deported... 
doesn't this kinda go against the whole "us citizenship" thing? 
also, isn't this just another example of how trump uses ICE to silence ppl of color? 
gotta see more sources on this one before I can say for sure...
. I was thinking about how much I love trying new foods, especially from different cultures. Speaking of which, have you tried that new Ethiopian place downtown? I heard their injera is to die for 
. Back to the news... it's just crazy that these US citizens with Somali roots are being targeted like this. I mean, shouldn't they be able to live without fear of deportation just because of where their parents are from? 
ICE agents showing up at people's homes and arresting them like they're doing nothing wrong? It's so not right! These ppl are US citizens, they deserve the same rights as anyone else. I mean, come on, minor crimes or just minding their own biz, and then BAM! Detention and deportation threats. 
It's disgusting. The Somali community in Minnesota is growing stronger every year, they're contributing to the society, and now they're being targeted like this? Not cool, not cool at all. 
We need to stand up for them and demand better from our government.
), but come on, can't we all just get along? It's like they're trying to erase someone's heritage and make them feel like a "garbage" bin 
. Newsflash: being a US citizen is not a participation trophy, it's a right! So let's keep demanding better from our leaders and hope that one day ICE will stop targeting innocent people just because of their skin color 
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for you?! She's like the real MVP of Somali American politics 
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It's not right that they're being treated like this just because of racist rhetoric from the president... it's just so sad to see this happening in our own country. We need to stand together as a community and demand change 
ICE's crackdown on Somalis in Minnesota is a total mess 
. Did you know that since 2017, the Trump administration has deported over 1 million undocumented immigrants, including many with Somali roots? 
That's a staggering 35% increase in deportation numbers during Obama's final year in office. 
That's a whopping 80x more likely to be detained than whites! 
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. We need to stand up for our rights and make sure everyone's treated equally under the law 
anyone with somali roots in the twin cities needs to be careful & know their rights ASAP
we gotta stand up for each other & demand justice from our leaders
& it's gonna take more than just a few arrests 2 fix this problem. We need policy changes NOW 
this is getting out of hand... ICE agents showing up at people's homes? detaining ppl who aren't even doing anything wrong? it's just so unfair 
. i mean, we know trump's got some bigoted views, but this is ridiculous. somalis living in mn are already facing a tough time, and now they're being treated like refugees or something 
. We need more people holding those in power accountable for their actions. This isn't just about Somali Americans; it's about the values of justice & equality we're supposed to be fighting for. 
my heart is breaking for all those Somalis living in fear 
Ilhan Omar is an amazing leader who's been working tirelessly for her community, and we should be supporting her, not demonizing her 
saw this news and it's really worrying... ICE agents showing up at people's homes just because of where they're from? That's not right 
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