US President Donald J. Trump has sparked outrage after declaring that he does not want Somali immigrants in the United States, describing them in harsh terms during a Cabinet-meeting on 2 December 2025. He claimed Somalis “contribute nothing,” criticised their reliance on social welfare, and said the US would “go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country.”
The comments came amid heightened political pressure following a federal pause on asylum decisions, triggered by a recent shooting involving a former Afghan asylum-seeker. Trump used the incident to intensify scrutiny on immigrants from several countries, including Somalia, while signalling plans for stricter enforcement.
Reports indicate that the administration is preparing increased immigration-action in states with large Somali communities, particularly Minnesota. The move has raised concerns among civil-rights advocates, who say the remarks and policy direction risk inflaming racial tension and undermining the rights of immigrant communities.
Lawmakers, civil-rights groups, and community leaders have condemned the statements as discriminatory and unpresidential, warning that such rhetoric could deepen social divisions and harm America’s reputation on the global stage.
US will ‘permanently pause’ migration from ‘third world countries’ — Trump
