Federal immigration authorities are mobilizing significant resources for enforcement operations in the Minneapolis-St Paul metropolitan area, where the nation’s largest concentration of Somali immigrants resides. The operations involve deploying strike teams comprising roughly 100 agents from various locations nationwide, with a focus on individuals who have received final deportation orders.
These enforcement efforts come against the backdrop of controversial presidential statements characterizing Somali immigrants in harsh terms. During a cabinet session, the nation’s leader criticized both the Somali community and a congressional representative of Somali heritage, using language that disparaged their contributions to American society.
The escalation follows attention given to fraud prosecutions involving several dozen Somali residents accused of falsifying applications for state benefit programs over multiple years. These cases have become focal points for political arguments about immigration policy and government assistance programs, with administration officials citing them as justification for broader enforcement measures.
Financial oversight agencies have announced probes into potential misuse of state funds, specifically investigating claims that money might have been channeled to extremist groups abroad. This announcement referenced reporting from politically aligned media sources and built upon earlier threats to eliminate protective immigration status for Somalis residing in Minnesota.
Local government officials in Minneapolis held a press briefing to address community concerns about the reported enforcement surge. City leaders emphasized their solidarity with Somali residents and clarified that municipal police maintain a policy of non-cooperation with immigration enforcement activities, receiving no advance notification of federal operations.