The Department of Homeland Security is preparing a large immigration enforcement surge in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region that will primarily target Somali nationals living in the country illegally, according to an official familiar with the plans and documents referenced by The New York Times.
The operation will follow President Donald Trump's focus on Somali illegal aliens in the U.S., which intensified after the shooting of two National Guard members in Washington and reports of widespread fraud involving Somali residents in Minnesota.
The surge is expected to begin this week and will concentrate on Somali nationals with final deportation orders who remain in the Twin Cities. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said individuals still pursuing legal status could also face enforcement actions.
The plan includes strike teams composed of ICE officers, agents, and other federal personnel. About 100 officers from across the country have been brought in to support the effort, the official said.
Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said the department does not comment on "future or potential operations," adding, "What makes someone a target of ICE is not their race or ethnicity, but the fact that they are in the country illegally."
The Minneapolis operation is the latest in a series of enforcement actions carried out in major metropolitan areas as the administration seeks to increase arrests. Previous operations have been conducted in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Charlotte.
DHS officials say the enforcement actions support Trump's pledge to deport millions of illegal aliens. Critics have accused federal agents of using aggressive tactics, leading to protests in several cities.
No mass arrests have been publicly documented so far in Minneapolis-St. Paul, though residents in the region are reportedly anxious as operations vary in size and visibility.
Trump recently moved to end temporary legal protections for certain Somali nationals. Some have been covered for decades under a program created for migrants from war-torn countries.
Somalis began arriving in Minnesota in large numbers during the civil conflict of the 1990s, and the state now hosts the world's largest Somali diaspora. Immigrant advocates and local officials say most residents of Somali descent are American citizens or lawful permanent residents.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Somali residents in Minneapolis have "ripped off American taxpayers," referencing an investigation reported by The New York Times.
Local tensions have grown as federal operations test Minneapolis and St. Paul policies that limit cooperation with immigration authorities.
A June operation near downtown Minneapolis led to scuffles with protesters, and St. Paul saw renewed clashes during two immigration enforcement actions in November, one of which resulted in 14 arrests.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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