Protesters Condemn Targeting of Somali Community by Anti-Trump Supporters

On Wednesday, demonstrators assembled outside the Signature Aviation facility near MinneapolisSaint Paul International Airport to protest President Donald Trumps actions against Minnesotas Somali population. The rally was backed by unions including Minnesota 50501, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and UNITE HERE. Protesters carried signs reading Stop deporting our neighbors and No ICE, No troops, No Kings, while others displayed messages directly opposing the President, such as Dump Trump and This is our country, not his.

The protest took place at an airport location that some participants identified as a hub for deportation flights, though this has not been independently verified. Organizers from UNITE HERE Local 17, representing Minnesota hospitality workers, addressed the crowd, emphasizing solidarity with immigrant communities and the defense of workers rights. The demonstrators pledged to stand up for the Somali community in the face of increased attacks.

Mohamed, a local Uber and Lyft driver, expressed the communitys distress over Trumps recent remarks, noting that they feel divided along ethnic lines. He described the Somali population as very scared by the rhetoric.

Following the Nov. 26 D.C. shooting that killed a West Virginia National Guard specialist and critically injured another, Trump intensified immigration measures. The suspect, an Afghan national, had no links to Somalia, yet the President renewed attacks on the Somali community. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced it will review green cards from 19 countries, including Somalia, sparking unconfirmed reports of targeted ICE operations in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, home to approximately 84,000 Somali residentsthe largest Somali population in the U.S.

Trumps statements have repeatedly blamed Somalis collectively for alleged economic and social problems in Minnesota, and he personally criticized Rep. Ilhan Omar, suggesting she should be barred from Congress. He characterized Somalia as one of the worst countries on Earth and claimed that Somali immigrants have drained U.S. resources.

Federal investigations have implicated Somali-linked organizations in fraud cases, including Feeding Our Future and Autism Services, which involved millions in misappropriated federal funds. While authorities hold individual perpetrators accountable, protesters and community leaders argue these cases should not be used to target the entire Somali population.

Trump continued his attacks in multiple public statements, calling Somali immigrants derogatory names and insisting they should not reside in the U.S. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned these comments, highlighting the contributions of Somali professionals to the state. Rep. Omar and several other Democratic lawmakers echoed these sentiments, describing Trumps rhetoric as scapegoating and xenophobic, and emphasizing the positive impact of Somali communities in America.

Author: Ethan Caldwell