Ilhan Omar Speaks on Somali Immigrant Status Amid ICE Operations
Representative Ilhan Omar from Minnesota expressed on Thursday that the number of “undocumented” Somali immigrants in the U.S. is quite low. This statement comes as reports suggest that immigration enforcement might be increasing in Minneapolis.
Omar discussed these issues on a podcast, addressing the recent criticism that Somali immigrants have faced in her state, particularly concerning allegations of fraudulent activities within the community. At the same time, a report by the New York Times indicated that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) plans to conduct more rigorous immigration actions in the Twin Cities.
Omar emphasized that most Somali community members, including herself, are U.S. citizens who came as refugees and thus should not be categorized as “non-nationals.” She remarked, “[ICE agents] are having a hard time finding non-citizens and illegal immigrants in our communities, almost making fools of themselves,” adding that it’s as challenging as “sticking a needle in a haystack.”
She continued to assert that there is a minimal presence of illegal immigrants among them: “Most of us entered the U.S. with legal refugee status, received green cards within a year, and became citizens within five years. We actually have the highest number of legal immigrants in the country.”
Recently, the Small Business Administration initiated an investigation into a network of Somali organizations in Minnesota related to a significant COVID-19 fraud case, which has raised concerns about possible failures in the oversight of public funds by Governor Tim Walz’s administration.
On CNN, when pressed by Jake Tapper to explain the growing concerns in her state, Omar responded that newly introduced aid programs sometimes rely too much on third-party facilitators, leading to the rapid rollout of COVID-19 initiatives without adequate protections in place.
In earlier comments, Omar also addressed President Trump’s derogatory remarks towards her and Somali-Americans, noting his contradictory obsession with her or his offensive label of her as “trash.” She remarked that such rhetoric represents a disturbing trend of bigotry fueled by political failures.
