Somali immigrants have overcome displacement in war and long years spent building new lives in the United States. But the fear and disruption of recent weeks feels unlike anything they have faced in their new home, many say.
A campaign of immigration raids by federal agents, together with remarks by President Donald Trump that Minnesota Somalis describe as deeply offensive and alarming have left community members angry and confused.
They said that the lack of pushback from Vice President JD Vance, Congressional Republicans or Cabinet members to Trump’s reference to Somali immigrants as “garbage” suggests that hostility to their community was acceptable at the highest level of government.
Minnesota has the largest Somali community in the country with 80,000 residents claiming Somali descent. The majority of Somalis here and across the United States are U.S. citizens, and most others have legal permanent residency.
Since Dec. 1, when federal immigration enforcement ramped up in the Twin Cities as part of “Operation Metro Surge,” Somali neighborhoods and businesses have been frequent targets. In several high-profile incidents, Somali Minnesotans have been pulled out of cars, dragged out of businesses, and targeted in immigration sweeps in Somali shopping areas such as Karmel Mall in south Minneapolis.
Both the rhetoric and the arrests have cast a chill over the community. Entrepreneurs reported an immediate hit to traffic. Some workers stayed home and small businesses curtailed their hours. People have skipped medical appointments, and families are running out of food because they don’t want to step out of their apartments. Fewer people are going to mosques. While ICE does not release information about its arrests, community leaders say more than 20 Somali people have been swept up in the agency’s raids.
Residents say the chatter and laughter that once filled restaurants and shopping corridors in locations such as Cedar-Riverside and Karmel Mall have been replaced by caution and silence.
“I’m concerned not only for my business, but also for the children witnessing the fear their families are experiencing,” said Farhan Ahmed, owner of Capitol Cafe in Minneapolis. “I believe many of them will need therapy following the crackdown.”
Somali-owned restaurants, cafes, and shops rely heavily on local foot traffic, much of it from immigrants who now fear being questioned or detained. Owners say customer counts have dropped sharply.
The owner of Smart Restaurant and Cafeteria in Cedar-Riverside, Abdiladif Ahmed, described a sudden downturn. “This is another coronavirus era targeting only one community. Even some of our employees left without notice,” he said.
At East Cafe, owner Abdikafi Gelle reported a similar decline. “The financial strain has been immediate, with costs for rent, supplies, and utilities remaining the same while revenue falls.”
Jaylani Hussein, executive director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said at a Dec. 12 news conference that several Somali business owners had received calls with racist and Islamophoic slurs multiple times a day from unidentified callers. He said his organization would be reporting the calls to the FBI.
Many stay away from mosques
Some community members say they are avoiding public spaces altogether, including mosques. For a community where mosques serve not only as places of worship but also as centers of social support, the shift has been especially painful.
Last Friday, attendance at several mosques was far lower than usual, according to worshippers. Sheikh Farah Jama, one of the imams of Masjid Shaafici Cultural Center addressed the smaller congregation directly, acknowledging the fear many were feeling.
“Resort to patience and prayer for help,” he repeated several times during the service. He also urged the Muslim American citizens to continue attending prayers, even as reports of ICE agents knocking on doors at apartments and homes circulated widely.
Community advocates say the arrests and rhetoric are taking a toll. Children are watching their parents worry about leaving the house. Families are making contingency plans in case a parent does not return from work or an errand. Some parents have instructed their children on what to do if ICE agents come to their home.
The Somali community has long faced layers of discrimination. Many residents point out that being Black, Muslim, and an immigrant places them at the intersection of multiple forms of bias.
Activist Amina Adan said the current moment feels especially dangerous. “The Somali community has always been resilient, but this feels different,” she said. “We are not just fighting for our rights; we are fighting for our very existence in this city.”
Community groups have responded by offering legal clinics, know-your-rights workshops, and emergency support for families affected by arrests. Volunteers have organized phone trees and messaging groups to share information about ICE sightings and court dates.
One of those efforts is being led by Abdikarim Farah, who has organized volunteers to deliver groceries and meals to those afraid to leave their homes. “Many Somali asylum-seekers in Minneapolis are staying in their apartments for the last two weeks, starving,” Abdikarim Farah said. “They fear being captured by ICE if they come out for food.”
Volunteers say they have encountered families with empty refrigerators and parents skipping meals so children can eat. In some cases, people have skipped medical appointments and school meetings.
Community leaders emphasize that the crisis extends beyond immigration status alone. Even U.S. citizens report feeling targeted or unsafe because of their appearance or language. Some say they worry about being questioned simply for being Somali.
Hawo Gurey, who has run Alrowda Home Daycare in Cedar-Riverside since 2000, says the community’s previous hardships provide a way forward now. “Those experiences taught us how to rely on one another in times of crisis,” she said.
Mohamud Hassan, a longtime community organizer, said public support matters now more than ever. “The only way we can overcome this is by uniting as a community,” he said. “We need our neighbors, friends, and allies to stand with us.”
Sahan immigration reporter Katelyn Vue contributed to this story.
