Minnesota Officials Resist Federal ICE Operation Targeting Somali Immigrants

Clashing views on Somali community emerge amid fraud prosecutions and deportation operations

MINNEAPOLIS — A sharp confrontation between federal and Minnesota state officials has intensified this week over immigration enforcement and welfare fraud allegations involving members of the state’s Somali community, exposing deep divisions over how to balance accountability with civil rights protections.

ALSO READ: Trump Says ‘We Don’t Want Them’: Former President Targets Minnesota Somali Community

Presidential Criticism and Local Response

President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of Minnesota’s Somali immigrant population during Cabinet meetings this week, calling them and Representative Ilhan Omar “garbage” and stating he does not want Somalis in the United States. When told that Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey expressed pride in the city’s Somali community, Trump responded, “Then he’s a fool. I wouldn’t be proud”.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey defended the community, saying the city was proud to have the largest Somali population in the country. Frey stated that Somali immigrants “have started businesses and created jobs”.

Omar, who fled Somalia’s civil war as a child refugee, responded on social media: “His obsession with me is creepy. I hope he gets the help he desperately needs”.

Immigration Enforcement Operation

Federal officials confirmed to CNN that a new ICE operation targeting undocumented Somali immigrants will focus on Minneapolis and St. Paul. The focus on Minnesota comes after news reports that dozens of people of Somali descent have been convicted in fraud schemes related to Covid relief that netted over $1 billion.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the proposed operation a “PR stunt”, while Minneapolis City Council Member Jamal Osman advised local Somalis to “have your documents with you” and be aware of their surroundings.

Fraud Cases Draw National Attention

The controversy centers partly on multiple large-scale fraud schemes that have resulted in federal prosecutions:

The Department of Justice said a Minnesota nonprofit called “Feeding Our Future” and its affiliates stole more than $240 million in federal funds, in what constituted the nation’s largest COVID-19 pandemic-relief scheme. By November 2025, out of 78 suspects indicted in the fraud, dozens had pled guilty and seven had been found guilty at trial.

Most, though not all, of those charged and convicted in the case were members of Minnesota’s Somali American community, whether first-generation immigrants or native-born. Aimee Bock, the leader of Feeding Our Future and a white woman, accused state agencies of discrimination against the Somali community in the months before charges were filed.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced his department would investigate whether funds were routed to the terror group al-Shabaab, though Biden- and Obama-era U.S. attorney Andy Luger told The Minnesota Star Tribune that those charged “were looking to get rich, not fund overseas terrorism”.

Local Official’s Nonprofit Tied to Investigation

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced he reached a settlement that will shut down a nonprofit run by Minneapolis City Council Member Jamal Osman’s wife, Ilo Amba. Under the agreement, Urban Advantage Services must dissolve and transfer its assets to other charitable organizations after Ellison sued the nonprofit, alleging Amba created a “sham” charity to enrich herself and her family.

According to the Minnesota Department of Education, the nonprofit received a total of $461,533 in federal reimbursements in 2020 and 2021. Amba has not been charged with any crimes.

In response to the federal enforcement plans, Osman said on CNN that ICE agents asking people for documentation “feels like we’re in 1930s and 1940s in Germany”.

Criminal Case Raises Questions About Sentencing

The dispute intensified following reports of a criminal case involving Abdimahat Bille Mohamed, 28, of Minneapolis, who was charged with kidnapping and raping a woman he met on Snapchat in September 2025.

The September incident happened less than four months after he was sentenced in two unrelated sexual assault cases, including one that involved a 15-year-old girl. In May 2024, under the terms of a plea agreement, he served no prison time. For the 2017 sexual assault that involved a minor, he was sentenced to three years in prison, but the sentence was stayed for five years, meaning he did not serve prison time.

Community Demographics and Contributions

Minnesota is home to over 79,000 Somalis, roughly 80% of whom reside in the Twin Cities, according to the Minnesota Compass. Approximately 73% of Somali Immigrants are naturalized citizens, according to the census.

A 2021 Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Report highlighted the community’s contributions and a trend towards upward mobility, noting “Poverty levels have dropped, workforce participation has increased, median household income has ticked up and educational attainment has made marginal gains”.

The Minnesota Star Tribune Editorial Board wrote that “Minnesota is home to the nation’s largest Somali community. These residents are our colleagues, friends, law enforcement officers, public servants, neighbors and taxpayers”.

Ongoing Investigations

House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer launched an investigation into widespread fraud in Minnesota’s social services programs, seeking documents and communications about what the state knew about the fraud.

The federal-state confrontation continues as immigration enforcement operations proceed alongside ongoing fraud prosecutions, with both sides maintaining sharply different perspectives on accountability, community relations, and the appropriate federal role.

Follow us on X