Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-MN) stated that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents recently pulled over her son at a Target store during an interview with WCCO, asking him to prove his citizenship before releasing him after he produced his passport ID.
Omar said her son consistently carries his passport in case of such encounters. She also recounted that federal agents previously entered a mosque where her son and others were praying but left without incident. “After that,” Omar explained, “I had to remind him just how worried I am, because all of these areas they are talking about are places he could possibly find himself in—and they are racially profiling young men who look Somali.”
Earlier this month, federal agents intensified operations in the Twin Cities targeting undocumented Somali immigrants. This surge followed President Trump’s public remarks criticizing Somali immigrants and labeling Omar “garbage.”
On Friday, Omar sent a formal letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials Kristi Noem and Todd Lyons, acting director of ICE. In the letter, she condemned federal agents’ actions as “blatant racial profiling” and “an egregious level of unnecessary force,” stating they appeared designed for social media rather than lawful enforcement.
Omar demanded DHS release data on arrests during Operation Metro Surge—including U.S. citizens detained—and requested information about ICE’s surge preparations, public reporting mechanisms for rights violations, and the estimated taxpayer cost. She also raised concerns that the administration might revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for approximately 750 Somali refugees who have lived in the United States for nearly three decades.
Omar emphasized that many Somalis were first granted TPS in 1991 and have received extensions through 27 separate periods, currently protected until March 17, 2026. She questioned why the administration would consider ending this status early, noting that Somali TPS holders “have built lives here, starting businesses, raising families, and becoming important members of their communities.”
Omar’s letter specifically asked DHS to explain the “legal and factual” basis for potentially removing TPS status and any proposed solutions to assist affected individuals.