President Trump’s border enforcement chief Tom Homan on Sunday forcefully defended Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s sweeping crackdown on illegal Somali migrants in Minnesota, describing it as a necessary operation in the wake of what officials call one of the largest fraud scandals in U.S. history.
Appearing on CNN’s State of the Union, Homan pushed back against critics of ICE’s surge in Minneapolis and the broader Twin Cities area — which is home to the largest Somali population in the country — following revelations that a staggering amount of federal aid was stolen by criminal networks operating under the guise of social service organizations.
“There’s a large illegal Somali community there. There’s an illegal alien community there,” Homan said. “If you’re a U.S. citizen, you have nothing to fear… But because they’re a sanctuary city, we got to send more resources there to flood the zone.”
ICE officials confirmed that more than a dozen illegal immigrants were apprehended during the latest wave of enforcement operations in the region, with more expected in the coming weeks. The crackdown comes on the heels of President Trump publicly slamming the Somali immigrant community in Minnesota over the now-infamous Feeding Our Future scandal.
Trump Slams ‘Sanctuary State’ Fraud Ring
During a cabinet meeting last week, President Trump called the scandal “the single greatest theft of taxpayer dollars through welfare fraud in American history” and directly blamed the Somali community for what prosecutors say was a $1 billion fraud operation.
“They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country,” Trump said. “Their country is no good for a reason. Your country stinks and we don’t want them in our country.”
The Feeding Our Future scheme saw dozens of individuals, mostly Somali immigrants, indicted for setting up fake nonprofits that claimed to be providing meals to needy children — but instead pocketed taxpayer funds. According to federal prosecutors, the fraud ran deep through various shell companies, forged documentation, and falsified meal count data.
White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller told Hannity last week, “We believe we’ve only scratched the surface. What we’re going to uncover is going to shock the American people.”
Targeting Illegals, Not Citizens, Homan Says
Critics have accused the administration of using the scandal as pretext to conduct broad immigration sweeps, but Homan pushed back and emphasized that ICE is focused primarily on “public safety threats,” though agents will arrest and remove any illegal immigrants encountered in the process.
CNN anchor Dana Bash challenged Homan with a recent case in which a U.S. citizen was briefly detained until authorities verified her identification. Homan didn’t deny such occurrences but defended ICE’s process.
“I can’t tell you how many times an illegal alien claimed to be a U.S. citizen,” Homan responded. “It happens all the time… But as soon as that questioning is over, if they’re a U.S. citizen, they will be released.”
He added that ICE requires “probable cause” to make an arrest, but that “reasonable suspicion” allows officers to investigate further.
Critics Cry Foul, Trump Administration Unfazed
The aggressive enforcement strategy has drawn condemnation from progressive Democrats and even some moderate Republicans, who argue the Trump administration is going too far. But the president and his immigration team appear unfazed.
Trump has repeatedly slammed Minnesota and Minneapolis as breeding grounds for anti-American sentiment, lawlessness, and sanctuary policies that “harbor criminals.” The White House has also reportedly ordered increased surveillance on immigration nonprofits and community groups tied to foreign-born populations.
As for Homan, he said ICE will stay the course. “We’re not going to ignore sanctuary cities just because it’s politically sensitive,” he said. “The American people want law and order, and that’s what we’re delivering.”
The post Tom Homan Defends ICE Crackdown on Somali Migrants in Minnesota After $1B Fraud Scandal appeared first on Real News Now.
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