Twin Cities religious leaders unite to support Somali community and condemn Trump attacks

MINNEAPOLIS — A broad swath of religious leaders packed into a south Minneapolis mosque on Thursday to show solidarity and condemn ongoing attacks from President Donald Trump against Minnesota’s Somali community.

The crowd of more than 50 inside of Umatul Islam Center consisted of imams, pastors, rabbis and leaders from other religions who took turns cheering in support of Somali neighbors and booing Trump — who recently called Somalis “garbage” — and reports of the increased Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, presence in the Twin Cities targeting the Somali population.

“No human being is garbage, Mr. President, and shame on you for saying so,” said Rev. Paul Graham of St. Ansgar’s Lutheran Church in Cannon Falls. “In the name of Jesus, I rebuke those hateful words. The Somali community in Minnesota are our neighbors, brothers and sisters, children of God, fellow Americans.”

The multifaith gathering comes amid reports of additional federal agents sent into the Twin Cities to carry out immigration enforcement geared toward Somalis. The operation began as Trump made xenophobic remarks, said he wants to send them back to Somalia and lobbed criticisms of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, who is Somali.

It also comes amid ongoing prosecutions in the $250 million Feeding Our Future fraud scandal, in which nearly 80 people have been charged. Most defendants are Somali Minnesotans, but many residents have condemned the framing by Trump and others. They say the crimes of individuals are being used to justify broad immigration enforcement that puts Minnesota’s Somalis in danger of being detained, including those who are law-abiding citizens. Nearly all of the 108,000 Somali people living in Minnesota are citizens or legal residents.

Videos from neighbors and advocates began popping up on TikTok and other platforms across the greater Minneapolis area this week, showing ICE and other federal agents in and around housing complexes and strip mall parking lots questioning or arresting people who appear to be Somali. Advocates have said it’s an operation based off racism, and at least one Somali U.S. citizen has been detained so far.

Rabbi Adam Stock Spilker, who leads the congregation at Mount Zion Temple in St. Paul, said the targeting of Somalis is only the tip of the iceberg with the current administration, and he believes all minority groups will also be put in the cross-hairs. He said it’s wrong for Trump to paint the entire Somali community as “garbage” when only a few participated in the scandal.

“When we know that when a few people commit crimes, it does not implicate an entire community, and to say so is racist, xenophobic and just wrong,” Spilker said.

The Rev. Dr. Pamela Ngunjiri of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church in St. Paul said universal opposition to discrimination led to Thursday’s turnout of clergy.

“The tenet that’s in all of our faiths and religions is of dignity and love and concern and care for all human beings, regardless of anything else,” said Ngunjiri. “I needed to be here in solidarity and support.”

Mayor Jacob Frey said at the event that he has received reports of “a number of scattered incidents” involving federal agents. Such activities, Frey said, “are largely built around terrorizing people.” He was not aware of any large-scale operations so far in Minneapolis.

But he said he’s spoken with Somali families about their fears and offered his support.

“They have contributed so deeply to the fabric of who we are, and they themselves are now concerned about their own families getting ripped apart,” Frey said.

On Wednesday, Frey signed an executive order blocking federal, state and local agencies from using any city-owned parking lots, ramps, garages or vacant lots to stage immigration enforcement operations.

Later on Thursday afternoon, the group Unidos MN rallied in the parking lot of the Target store on East Lake Street, where more than 100 protesters gathered amid frigid conditions to condemn the retailer, alleging it allowed agents to stage some of their raids in the parking lot.

“You cannot celebrate our communities on your commercials while letting ICE stalk them in your parking lot,” said Unidos MN spokesperson Luis Argueta.

A spokesperson for Target denied allegations in an email.

“These claims are entirely baseless,” the statement read. “We have no cooperative agreements in place with ICE.”

Outside of criticisms of Target, the rally’s speakers emphasized their desires for local officials to do more to separate themselves and strengthen the separation ordinances that prohibit police from assisting with federal immigration operations.

The speakers also detailed the changes they’ve seen from federal agents in this week’s operations. Unlike the two recent large-scale raids in St. Paul last month that targeted Latino residents, this week’s operations focused on arresting Somalis have been more discreet and consist of less officers. Argueta said the operations have left communities feeling fearful after seeing how fast and sudden the agents show up.

“They’re picking people up quickly, and they’re leaving those places upside-down, and it’s not right,” Argueta said.