Trump tells Somalis in U.S. to ‘go back’ and says they ‘contribute nothing’

Lead: On Dec. 2, 2025, at a White House Cabinet meeting in Washington, President Donald Trump told reporters he did not want Somali immigrants in the United States and urged Somalis to “go back to where they came from and fix it.” The remark, aimed at a diaspora concentrated in Minnesota and other states, followed his administration’s temporary halt to asylum decisions after a shooting in Washington. Trump also said he would end temporary legal protections for some Somalis in Minnesota, a move that has prompted immediate legal and political pushback.

Key takeaways

• On Dec. 2, 2025, President Trump said Somalis in the U.S. “contribute nothing” and urged them to return to Somalia.
• The comments came days after the administration paused asylum decisions following the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington; the suspect is reported to be originally from Afghanistan.
• Trump pledged to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for some Somalis in Minnesota; a congressional report from August estimated 705 Somalis nationwide currently covered by TPS.
• Minnesota hosts the largest Somali community in the U.S.; city and state officials immediately criticized the president’s remarks as inflammatory and legally questionable.
• Conservative activist Christopher Rufo recently published allegations in City Journal tying stolen Minnesota funds to al-Shabab; NPR and others describe those claims as unsubstantiated and sourced to unnamed informants.
• Local leaders, immigration experts and civil-rights advocates warn the statement risks stoking fear, undermining due process and targeting both citizens and noncitizens.

Background

Somalis have been arriving in the United States, often as refugees, since the 1990s; many settled in Minnesota, which today has the country’s largest Somali population. Over decades the community has established businesses, houses of worship and civic organizations, while also navigating economic and integration challenges shared by other immigrant groups. Temporary Protected Status and refugee resettlement programs have provided legal pathways for some Somalis displaced by the long-running conflict in Somalia.

President Trump has repeatedly targeted members of the Somali diaspora in public comments and on social media, and he has criticized Rep. Ilhan Omar, who emigrated from Somalia in 1995 and represents a Minneapolis district. The administration’s recent policy actions — including pausing asylum adjudications — are tied in White House statements to concerns about national security after the shooting in Washington, though critics say the linkage is broad and politically motivated. Conservative commentators and activists, notably Christopher Rufo, have circulated allegations of fraud and illicit flows tied to Minnesota programs; those claims have not been fully corroborated in public records.

Main event

Near the end of a lengthy Cabinet meeting on Dec. 2, President Trump told reporters, “They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country,” and urged Somalis to “go back to where they came from and fix it.” He also called Somalia “no good for a reason” and used disparaging language about the group. The remarks did not distinguish between U.S. citizens of Somali origin and noncitizen residents, prompting concern among legal advocates.

The announcement followed a social media post from the president promising to send Somalis “back to where they came from” and an administration statement suspending asylum determinations after last week’s attack on two National Guard members. The suspect in that case is reported to be from Afghanistan, but the president broadened his remarks to question immigration from a range of countries, including Somalia.

The White House said Trump intends to revoke temporary legal protections for some Somalis in Minnesota, a policy shift that officials in the state described as legally shaky. Immigration lawyers note that terminating or narrowing protections like TPS involves formal review processes and that unilateral proclamations are likely to face legal challenges. For Minnesota’s large Somali community, even the prospect of losing protections has generated fear and uncertainty.

Analysis & implications

Politically, the president’s remarks are likely to energize supporters who favor stricter immigration controls while further alienating immigrant communities and progressive constituencies. Targeting a distinct national-origin group raises constitutional and statutory issues, particularly if actions do not follow established administrative procedures. Legal experts caution that any effort to revoke benefits en masse without due process could be blocked by courts.

Socially, broad-brush statements about an entire diaspora can erode trust between communities and law enforcement, complicate local integration efforts, and heighten discrimination risks. Minnesota officials emphasize the economic and cultural contributions of Somali businesses, nonprofits and faith institutions; vilifying language could also impair collaborations on public safety, health and education.

Internationally, telling members of a diaspora to return to a country with ongoing instability may complicate U.S. diplomatic messaging about humanitarian assistance and counterterrorism. Somalia remains contested in parts of its territory and hosts insurgent groups such as al-Shabab; urging mass returns without secure conditions would raise practical and moral concerns. Economically, rescinding legal protections for a subset of immigrants would affect labor markets at local levels but is unlikely to reshape national demographics given the relatively small number actually covered by TPS.

Comparison & data

The table above highlights the narrow scale of TPS recipients compared with the broader Somali-origin population in places like Minnesota. That disparity matters for legal and political analysis: administrative changes to TPS would directly affect only a small number, while rhetoric and enforcement actions could have much wider social effects.

Reactions & quotes

Local and national figures quickly responded. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey denounced the comments as inaccurate and harmful to community cohesion, emphasizing Somalis’ civic and economic contributions. Representative Ilhan Omar, a Somali-born Democrat, pushed back on social media, calling the president’s fixation unhealthy and demanding accountability.

“They have started businesses and created jobs. They have added to the cultural fabric of what Minneapolis is,”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey

Frey’s statement came after he highlighted local examples of Somali entrepreneurship and community engagement, framing the president’s remarks as a harmful generalization that could have legal and constitutional implications.

“His obsession with me is creepy. I hope he gets the help he desperately needs,”

Rep. Ilhan Omar

Omar’s response on social media referenced the president’s repeated targeting of her in public fora; she framed his comments as a personal fixation and urged public scrutiny of his behavior.

“They contribute nothing. I don’t want them in our country,”

President Donald Trump

Trump’s line, delivered to reporters, was accompanied by threats to end protections and by broader assertions about fraud and criminality that legal and policy experts say require substantiation through evidence and proper process.

Unconfirmed

• Claims linking Minnesota program fraud directly to funding of al-Shabab remain unverified publicly and are described by major news reports as relying on unnamed sources.
• The administration’s stated ability to revoke protections for Somalis in Minnesota exactly as described by the president has not been demonstrated; legal experts say formal processes apply.
• Any direct causal link between the Washington shooting and Somali communities broadly has not been confirmed; the reported suspect is originally from Afghanistan.

Bottom line

President Trump’s Dec. 2 remarks directed at Somali immigrants represent a forceful escalation in rhetoric toward a distinct immigrant community concentrated in Minnesota and elsewhere. While the number of Somali nationals covered by Temporary Protected Status is small—about 705 according to a recent congressional report—the statement’s reach is broader: it affects perceptions, community trust and the legal environment for immigration policy.

Policy changes that would remove legal protections are likely to face legal scrutiny and political opposition; the immediate impact may be fear and uncertainty among Somali-origin residents, whether citizens or noncitizens. Observers should watch for formal rulemaking, court challenges and state-level responses in the coming weeks to see how rhetoric translates—or does not—into enforceable policy.

Sources

• NPR — Media report covering the December 2, 2025 White House remarks and local reactions.