Governor Walz condemns Trump for referring to Minnesota's Somali community as 'garbage'

ST. PAUL, Minn. Democratic Governor Tim Walz criticized President Donald Trump on Thursday for labeling Minnesotas Somali community as garbage and describing the state as a hellhole. Walz stated that Trumps comments insult all Minnesotans and called his disdain for the states Somali population the largest in the U.S. unprecedented for a U.S. president. He emphasized the impact on children, saying, Weve got little children going to school today who their president called them garbage.

While Walz invited Republican legislative leaders to join him in condemning the remarks, they declined. Instead, they suggested the controversy could have been avoided if the governor had acted more decisively to prevent fraud in state social service programs.

Trumps Statements on the Somali Community

Trumps criticism of Somalis in Minnesota has escalated following reports by the conservative outlet City Journal suggesting that government funds lost to fraud were ending up with the Somali militant group al-Shabab. Over Thanksgiving, Trump called Minnesota a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity and announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Somali immigrants, a program that shields certain immigrants from deportation.

During a cabinet meeting, Trump stated he opposed allowing more immigrants from Somalia to remain in the U.S., saying, We can go one way or the other, and were going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country. The next day, he continued his criticism, asserting that Minnesota had become a hellhole because of the Somali population and claiming they had destroyed our country.

Immigration Enforcement in Minnesota

Federal authorities have planned an operation in Minnesota this week targeting Somalis living in the U.S. without authorization. While nationwide, around 700 Somalis have protected status, Walz estimated roughly 300 are in Minnesota. The number of recent detentions remains unclear, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement has not released detailed information.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area hosts approximately 84,000 Somali residents, nearly one-third of the U.S. Somali population. Around 58% were born in the U.S., and 87% of those born abroad are naturalized citizens.

Concerns About Fraud in Government Programs

The extent of fraud in Minnesotas social service programs remains uncertain. Although many defendants in fraud cases are Somali Americans, most are U.S. citizens. Federal prosecutor Joe McDonald, who investigated the $300 million Feeding Our Future scandal, suggested total losses across programs could reach $1 billion. Walz indicated that a state audit, expected by late January, will clarify the scale of the problem and emphasized that his administration is taking strong measures to prevent further fraud.

Political Reactions

Walz condemned the targeting of a whole community based on race and ethnicity, highlighting the contributions Somalis make to the states cultural and economic life. Republican leaders responded cautiously. Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, who is seeking Trumps endorsement for governor, avoided directly condemning the president, emphasizing accountability for fraud rather than labeling an entire community. State Senator Eric Pratt acknowledged the presidents frustration with fraud but noted he would have expressed it differently.

National Responses

Lawmakers in Ohio, home to the countrys second-largest Somali population, also criticized Trumps remarks. State Representative Terrence Upchurch called for respect for Somali residents contributions, while the Ohio Jewish Caucus labeled the presidents comments as xenophobic, dangerous and wholly unacceptable.

Author: Gavin Porter