Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Thursday strongly condemned President Donald Trump’s recent statements directed against Somali residents of the state, calling them “vile” and warning that this type of rhetoric can trigger episodes of violence fueled by hate and misinformation.
During a press conference initially focused on the state budget, Walz stressed that political speeches that single out entire communities “not only divide, but create a climate of real danger.” He explained that xenophobic-laden statements often escalate quickly into bias-motivated harassment, assaults and crimes. Minnesota is home to one of the largest Somali communities in the country, with tens of thousands of residents settled for decades, many of them U.S. citizens.
Tim Walz slams Trump remarks against Somalis as vile
Donald Trump’s hateful words don’t stand in Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/sHcx8MkhpF
– Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) December 4, 2025
The president’s statements come in the context of a fraud case against state welfare programs, known nationally as Feeding Our Future.
In that scheme, 86 individuals – most of Somali origin, but many born or raised in the United States – were charged with diverting millions intended for child feeding programs and services for vulnerable families.
To date, 59 have already been convicted in federal courts.
However, prosecutors and state authorities have stressed that the fraud does not represent the Somali community, nor is it related to recent immigration.
Even so, Trump has publicly described the defendants as “scum” and stated that “we don’t want them in our country,” despite the fact that many of those involved are citizens and do not face immigration proceedings.
Tim Walz responded that Trump “misrepresents the case” and reminded that individual criminal acts cannot be used to demonize entire communities.
“That’s exactly the kind of narrative that fuels attacks and hatred,” he warned.
Deployment of federal agents increases tensions
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In parallel to the controversy, the Trump Administration this week deployed about a hundred federal agents in Minnesota as part of operations aimed – according to ICE –at detaining Somalis with deportation orders.
Although the agency claimed to have arrested “some of the worst illegal alien criminals,” local organizations claim that the actual number of arrests has been low and that many residents live in fear despite having legal immigration status.
Minnesota is home to a Somali community that includes U.S. citizens, refugees resettled through federal programs, and permanent residents who actively contribute to the local economy.
Tim Walz insisted that the vast majority are workers, students and families who have no ties to fraud or criminal activity.
The governor, who will seek a third term in 2026, also questioned the effectiveness of the federal deployment and criticized the lack of coordination with local authorities.
With irony, he added that the agents “seem to be too cold to get out of their vehicles and harass people,” a reference to the state’s extreme weather and a criticism of what he considers a more political than practical operation.
Tim Walz explained that the state continues to conduct audits to determine the true financial impact of the fraud, as it is unclear how many of the hundreds of millions diverted directly affected the projected budget for 2025 and 2026.
He stressed that the state will reinforce mechanisms to prevent similar schemes from happening again.
