Federal authorities have arrested 12 individuals in Minneapolis during an enforcement operation this week, part of a broader Trump administration effort targeting undocumented immigrants. While the operation was described as focusing on Somali residents, only five of those detained were from Somalia, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The remaining arrestees include six Mexican nationals and one person from El Salvador. ICE said Thursday that eight of the detainees had prior criminal charges or convictions, including assault, domestic violence, fraud, and driving under the influence. The agency described those arrested as among the “worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens.”
Minneapolis-St. Paul, home to the nation’s largest Somali population, is the latest city to be targeted after enforcement actions in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Immigration authorities also began operations in New Orleans this week, where officials have said they may arrest up to 5,000 individuals.
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The enforcement actions follow public remarks by President Donald Trump criticizing Somali immigrants, whom he described as “garbage” and accused of contributing nothing to the country. Trump also blamed Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for alleged fraud in state programs, claiming it benefited a Somali militant group—a claim not independently verified.
Local officials have condemned the federal crackdown and vowed to protect immigrant communities. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey reiterated that city police would not assist in federal immigration enforcement.
In a statement, Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, criticized local leaders, saying Frey and Walz were failing to enforce immigration laws and putting citizens at risk.
The operation has sparked intense debate over the Trump administration’s immigration policies and the targeting of specific communities, with critics warning that rhetoric and enforcement actions may heighten fear and tension among residents.