Tom Homan, Donald Trump’s tough-talking border czar, has blasted CNN’s Dana Bash over ICE raids targeting Somali migrants in Minnesota — home to America’s largest Somali community of around 80,000. Most Somalis here are legal citizens or residents, but the raids have sparked fears of racial profiling and mass panic.
‘Nothing to Fear if You’re a Citizen,’ Says Homan
State officials tell CNN Minnesota’s undocumented Somali population is “very, very small.” Bash called the raids “more about scaring people than arresting criminals.” Homan hit back, saying:
“If you’re a US citizen, you have nothing to fear. We’re looking for criminal aliens.”
He insisted the raids follow longstanding enforcement priorities — not new, targeted crackdowns on Somali communities.
“We’re just starting. Even we don’t know how many illegal Somalis there are,” Homan admitted, defending efforts to identify and remove illegal immigrants amid scant data.
Trump Labels Minnesota a ‘Fraud Hub’ – Calls Out Somali Migrants
President Trump didn’t hold back. He slammed Minnesota as a “hub of fraudulent money laundering” under Governor Tim Walz. At a recent Cabinet meeting, Trump unloaded on Somali migrants:
“Somali migrants contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country.”
His sweeping attack lumped legal and illegal immigrants together, angering critics who called his remarks racist. Supporters, however, praised his blunt stance on immigration and security.
Child Trafficking Nightmare: Homan Sounds the Alarm
On Fox & Friends, Homan painted a grim picture of migrant child trafficking. He claimed the Trump administration saved over 62,000 kids from forced labour and sex trafficking.
By contrast, under Biden, Homan alleges:
- Over 500,000 migrant children were smuggled across the border
- 300,000 remain unaccounted for
“Many are in sex trafficking. Many are forced into labour. Many are being abused,” Homan warned.
He praised Trump as “the greatest president in my lifetime” for prioritising child protection.
Somali Community Fears and Political Fallout
Minnesota’s Somali community is terrified. Even legal residents fear being swept up in raids based on looks or accents. State officials’ description of undocumented Somalis as “very, very small” has critics crying foul over what they see as intimidation tactics.
The raids come amid heated debates over legal vs illegal immigration. Trump’s broadbrush attacks risk alienating law-abiding Somali-Americans who fled war or sought refuge legally.
As a key swing state, Minnesota’s crackdown carries political weight. Trump’s team aims to hit a Democratic stronghold and undermine Governor Walz, a perceived immigration ally.
Biden Border Failures Fuel ICE Crackdown
Homan blasted Biden’s “got-aways” – two million illegal border crossers who slipped through without checks. The missing 300,000 migrant children spotlight a humanitarian disaster rife with trafficking and abuse.
Critics question whether city raids on established communities solve this or just deepen divisions, arguing for better border security instead.
For now, Minnesota is ground zero for Trump’s hardline immigration push, with the Somali community caught in the crossfire.
