During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his opposition to Somali immigrants, suggesting that they should 'go back to where they came from' and criticizing their country as being 'no good for a reason.' He remarked, 'I don't want them in our country, I'll be honest with you,' emphasizing that the U.S. would 'go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country.'

These harsh comments coincided with reported ICE enforcement operations targeting undocumented Somali immigrants in Minnesota, where one of the largest Somali communities in the United States resides. Local officials condemned the operation, warning it might affect American citizens who look like they could be from Somalia.

Trump's remarks escalated to a direct critique of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American elected to Congress. 'I always watch her,' Trump said, labeling her as 'incompetent' and claiming she 'hates everybody.' Omar responded on social media, referring to Trump's obsession with her as 'creepy' and suggesting he needs help.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to begin the operation this week, targeting an estimated hundreds of undocumented immigrants, amidst heightened concerns following a recent violent incident in Washington D.C. involving an Afghan suspect. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz criticized the planned action as a 'PR stunt,' asserting that vulnerable immigrant communities should not be unjustly targeted and reaffirming that many individuals in these communities are American citizens.