Federal authorities are preparing a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota that would primarily focus on Somali immigrants living unlawfully in the U.S., according to a person familiar with the planning.

The move comes as President Donald Trump again on Tuesday escalated rhetoric about Minnesota's sizable Somali community, saying he did not want immigrants from the east African country in the U.S. because “they contribute nothing.”

The enforcement operation could begin in the coming days and is expected to focus on the Minneapolis–St. Paul area and people with final orders of deportation, the person said. Teams of immigration agents would spread across the Twin Cities in what the person described as a directed, high-priority sweep, though the plans remain subject to change.

The prospect of a crackdown is likely to deepen tensions in Minnesota — home to the nation’s largest Somali community. Many fled their country's long civil war and were drawn to the state’s welcoming social programs.

Trump has become increasingly focused on people of Somalian descent living in the U.S., saying they have caused a lot of trouble. Community leaders say Trump has inflamed tensions and revived fears of profiling.

The president said during a Cabinet meeting that he did not want Somali immigrants in the country.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey pushed back against Trump’s depiction of Somalis, saying they’re part of the cultural fabric of the city.

“Somali people have been an extraordinary benefit. I'll say it again. Somali people have been a benefit to our city for longer than I have been in our city,” Frey said.

The mayor vowed that the city’s police officers, many of whom are Somali, will not work with any federal agents doing immigration enforcement,

Hundreds of people are expected to be targeted in the operation, the person said. As with previous immigration operations, so-called incidental arrests are possible, meaning people who aren’t targeted but lack legal status could also be detained, the person said.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations that have not been publicly disclosed. The operation was first reported by The New York Times.