Minnesota Officials Decry Trump’s Call to Fight Somali Community

The president’s Thursday post on Truth Social claimed Minnesota is being “taken over” by Somali immigrants, citing vague allegations of murder and mayhem. Trump further attacked Democratic Governor Tim Walz, suggesting he would provide federal backing to any residents who took matters into their own hands. For many Somali Americans, the message was clear: they are being cast as targets for vigilante action.

Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Minnesota, warned that these words represent a dangerous invitation to hatred. “President Trump is placing a target on the backs of Somali Americans,” Hussein stated, noting the state’s history of mosque fire-bombings. Local organizer Faisa Ahmed added that the climate of fear is palpable, describing how community members are now afraid to walk through their own neighborhoods.

Legal and Political Resistance

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison vowed to challenge any federal overreach, pointing to the trauma caused by previous deployments of immigration agents. During earlier operations, federal agents were documented engaging in racial profiling and physical violence against residents. Ellison, who has sued the administration over these civil rights violations, stated that he would not permit a repeat of such tactics. “If Trump tries, I’ll drag him back to court,” Ellison wrote on social media.

As midterm elections approach, critics suggest this rhetoric is a calculated attempt by Republicans to stir racial division for political gain. Doug Chapin, a Democratic candidate for the House, characterized the president’s comments as an attempt to “foment a race war.” Despite the hostility, local voices have responded with a unified front. Mike Norton, former vice chair of the Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, dismissed the rhetoric as desperate election-year fear-mongering, declaring that any attempt to target the community would face organized resistance.