Scorned by the president, Somalis in Minnesota are embraced by the state that took them in

Video Ad Feedback Somali-American who backed Trump in 2024 reacts to "garbage" comments 1:57 • Source: CNN

Somali-American who backed Trump in 2024 reacts to "garbage" comments 1:57 Minneapolis —

People of Somali descent in Minnesota have endured a dizzying week.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump called them “garbage” and sent immigration enforcement agents into the state, which is home to the nation’s largest Somali diaspora. By Thursday, officials in the Department of Homeland Security were touting the arrest of a handful of Somali men, whom the agency called the “worst of the worst.” Throughout, hate mail poured into inboxes at mosques and advocacy groups.

And yet, the wave of vitriol during the Trump administration’s continued nationwide immigration crackdown ha