ICE Deploys ‘Strike Teams’ To Target Somali Migrants In Twin Cities: NYT

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — President Donald Trump has deployed specialized "strike teams" to Minneapolis and St. Paul as part of a large-scale operation focused on undocumented Somali migrants, according to reporting from the New York Times.

Roughly 100 federal officers and agents have been brought in from around the country for the enforcement effort, which is prioritizing Somalis with final deportation orders.

The operation comes as Trump has escalated both policy actions and rhetoric aimed at Minnesota’s Somali community, the nation’s largest Somali diaspora.

Last week, Trump announced he was immediately terminating the Temporary Protected Status designation for Somalis, accusing the community of making Minnesota "a hub" for fraud and crime.

The TPS shift is expected to affect a relatively small number of people because most Somalis in the U.S. are citizens or legal permanent residents. A recent congressional estimate put the number of Somalis covered by TPS nationwide at about 700.

According to census data, about 73 percent of Somali immigrants nationally are naturalized U.S. citizens.

Trump has also intensified public statements targeting Rep. Ilhan Omar and Gov. Tim Walz.

Walz accused Trump of trying to divide the state, while Omar noted that most Somali Americans are citizens and said Trump’s attacks have little practical effect: “We are here to stay.”

Local officials warn of increased enforcement activity

Minneapolis City Council Member Jason Chavez said Monday that his office is hearing reports of stepped-up federal activity in parts of South Minneapolis.

According to Chavez, some residents have reported being followed while driving, stopped, and taken into custody.

Both Minneapolis and Saint Paul have policies that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, and the Trump administration is currently suing the cities over those restrictions.