Also AverSomali-Americans in Minnesota have spoken of their increased fear after US President Donald Trump stepped up his criticism of the community this week.
Community leaders told the BBC the “concerns are palpable” following Trump's remarks in which he said he did not want Somalis living in the US and that the country would “go down the wrong path if we continue to take out the trash.”
“When you're attacked by the president of the United States, it's not a good feeling,” said Aj Awed, executive director of the Cedar-Riverside Community Council, which represents the city known as Little Mogadishu because of its large Somali population.
Concerns have also been heightened by reports that Minnesota authorities have launched a law enforcement operation targeting undocumented immigrants.
Mr Aved said the council would personally discuss the risks of holding the annual event planned for next week due to the operation.
“This involves people who don't speak English very well but have been citizens of the country for decades,” he said. “Just because you have an accent doesn’t make you any less American.”
Trump made disparaging comments criticizing the Somali community at the White House on Tuesday. “I don’t want them in our country, I’ll be honest with you… their country is tough for a reason,” he said.
Mr. Aved called the comments “dangerous,” adding that “it’s not appropriate for a president to simply attack other Americans.”
The president was responding to a question about whether Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz should resign over allegations of widespread fraud in the state's public assistance program.
Dozens of people have been charged in a scheme that federal prosecutors say involved a charity that fraudulently billed the Minnesota government for meals for children during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A number of Somali immigrants were involved in the alleged scheme, which ultimately cost the government tens of millions of dollars, Kayse Magan said. former investigator for the Minnesota Attorney General's Office.
Although those accused of involvement represent a small portion of Minnesota's large Somali population, Trump has repeatedly criticized the community, writing last month that the state has become “a hub for fraudulent money laundering activity” and saying last week that “hundreds of thousands of Somalis are robbing our country.”
On Wednesday, the House Oversight Committee said it was opening an investigation into Walz's handling of the relief scheme.
The Trump administration has said it is also looking into allegations that Minnesota tax dollars are funneled to al-Shabab, an al-Qaeda-linked Islamist group based in Somalia.
Asked about these claims last month, Walz said: “Don't paint an entire group of people with the same brush—demonize them by putting them at risk when there's no evidence to support it.
“But if you want to help us, pursue the criminals and make sure there is no connection between them, or find out where the money went, we welcome that.”
“Anyone who looks like me is afraid”
Jamal Osman, a member of the Minneapolis City Council, moved to the United States when he was 14 years old and is a naturalized citizen.
“Anyone who looks like me [is] scared now,” he told CBS News.
Of the fraud allegations that Trump has repeatedly cited in his criticism of the Somali community, Osman said: “My community is upset. Yes, people commit crimes, but the entire community should not be blamed based on what some people did.”
The Trump administration has ended Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a program for immigrants from countries in crisis, for Somali residents living in Minnesota.
It said its enforcement operation will target those who have received final deportation orders. The operation began on Wednesday, according to BBC US partner CBS News.
Abdilatif Hasan“ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) is already here,” said Kowsar Mohamed, who lives in south Minneapolis. The city is home to more than 80,000 people of Somali origin.
“We're seeing action on the ground where people are just being pulled off the streets and asked about their residency status. This is not a data-driven approach,” she said.
“Most people have the necessary identification, so the fear is not about the proof. The fear is that mistakes will happen.”
A spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, denied that any people would be targeted because of their race.
“Every day, ICE enforces the laws of the land across the country,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “What makes a person a target for ICE is not their race or ethnicity, but the fact that they are in the country illegally.”
Local community groups had expected tighter immigration controls, but they stepped up preparations after Mr. Trump's comments, Ms. Mohamed said.
One organization, Monarca, has planned a “legal observer training” in Minneapolis to educate people about their rights when they witness federal immigration activity.
Other ways the community can prepare is by having emergency contacts ready to respond in the event of encounters with ICE, as well as private message groups where people share photos of unmarked cars and agents wearing masks, Ms. Mohamed said.
“Everyone will just be careful,” she said.
“Is there any fear? Absolutely. But no one is hiding by the tail.”
