Rep. Ilhan Omar is raising a ruckus, claiming her son was stopped by ICE agents in Minnesota over a routine errand, igniting a firestorm over immigration tactics.
The New York Post reported that Omar alleges her son was pulled over by ICE on Saturday after leaving a Target store, questioned on his citizenship, and let go only after showing his passport, all during a sweeping immigration enforcement push linked to a major fraud scandal.
The drama kicked off as Omar’s son exited Target, only to be flagged down by ICE agents demanding proof of his legal status.
Fortunately, he had his passport on hand—something Omar notes he “always carries” for safety—and was released after presenting it.
Still, Omar isn’t buying that this was a random check, calling it part of a disturbing trend of overzealous enforcement in Minnesota’s Somali-heavy neighborhoods.
She’s particularly irked given the backdrop: ICE’s crackdown coincides with a $1 billion fraud scandal in the state that’s put a spotlight on social safety net abuses.
President Trump has jumped into the fray, slamming the Somali community’s role in the fraud and declaring, “we don’t want them,” a blunt statement that’s stirred the pot further.
Omar, though, points the finger at Minnesota’s lax program oversight as the real issue, not the community at large.
While fraud must be rooted out, targeting specific groups under broad operations raises questions about fairness, even if one supports strong border policies.
Born in Somalia and a U.S. citizen since 2000, Omar has a personal lens on this issue and isn’t holding back on her critique of ICE.
She told WCCO radio, “Yesterday, after he made a stop at Target, he did get pulled over by [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] agents, and once he was able to produce his passport ID, they did let him go.”
That’s a small mercy, but needing a passport for a shopping trip feels like overkill, though ICE would likely argue they’re just doing their job post-scandal.
Omar also highlighted a separate incident where ICE agents reportedly entered a mosque during prayers—her son among those present—before exiting without action, adding fuel to her grievances.
On X, she slammed “Operation Metro Surge” as “state-sanctioned racial profiling used as a tool of political intimidation,” asserting, “But Somali Minnesotans aren’t intimidated, we’re brave and resilient, and our neighbors have our back.”
