"Before, carrying my passport around, I had a feeling of pride, and now I'm carrying it and it has a lot of darkness around it because now I'm just like, I just want to get home safe to my kids.' We're in Minneapolis, days after the Trump administration directed ICE to begin targeting and arresting undocumented Somali migrants in the city."
"The Somalians should be out of here. They've destroyed our country. We're going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country. People from Somalia aren't garbage. When I heard it the first time, it was heartbreaking. Because, not for myself, because I know I'm not. Munira Maalimisaq runs a primary care clinic in Minneapolis. To have the president of the United States say these things, I think it feels like I definitely don't belong."
"Minnesota is home to around 80,000 Somalis, many of whom were either born here or have been here for decades. Over 85 percent of Somalis here are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, but they still worry they could be wrongfully arrested. People are carrying not only their ID, but their passports. No one gets their passports out unless they're traveling overseas. But now, I'm carrying my passport, right?"
Minnesota is home to around 80,000 Somalis, many born or long established in the state. Over 85 percent are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents, yet community members fear wrongful arrest after ICE raids and federal directives to target undocumented Somali migrants. Many Somali Americans now carry passports and identification routinely, turning travel documents into protective measures. Local Somali businesses and public spaces have become quieter as people avoid leaving home without documentation. Presidential remarks denigrating Somalis have amplified feelings of alienation. Longtime public servants report feeling they no longer belong despite years of contribution.
Read at www.nytimes.com
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