Somalia’s Prime Minister Responds to Trump Remarks as Immigration Raids Begin in Minnesota

Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre has responded to comments made by U.S. President Donald Trump about Somali immigrants, as reports indicate that U.S. immigration authorities are preparing enforcement operations targeting Somali communities in Minnesota.

Trump, speaking during a cabinet meeting, said he does not want Somalis in the United States, telling them to “go back to where they came from.” He also described Somalia as “a bad country,” warning that the U.S. would “head in the wrong direction” if it continued admitting what he called “garbage” under refugee programs.

Reliable reports show that immigration authorities have been authorized to target undocumented Somalis living in Minnesota, particularly in neighborhoods where the Somali population is concentrated. Sources familiar with the plan say hundreds of people could be affected when the operation begins this week.

U.S. immigration officials declined to comment directly on the reported operation but said anyone residing in the country illegally could be considered a target for enforcement.

Somalia’s Response

Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre said Trump’s remarks were not new on the global stage, noting that the U.S. president had previously made similar comments about other countries.

He said Trump had spoken in the past about nations such as Nigeria and South Africa, adding that it was “better not to turn the matter into a major dispute.”

The prime minister’s remarks come as Trump has intensified criticism of Somalia, claiming the country lacks a functioning government and describing its people as living without order — comments that have fueled anxiety among Somali communities in Minnesota as immigration operations begin.

GAROWE ONLINE