Minnesota state senator Zaynab Mohamed appeared on CNN and condemned the recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in the state, calling them the actions of an “authoritarian government.”

The Trump administration has increased ICE activity in Minnesota following investigations linking significant fraud to individuals within the state’s Somali community.

Mohamed, who has served in the Minnesota Senate since 2023 and immigrated to the United States from Somalia, made her remarks during a televised interview.

“We are in a defining moment in our state and in our country to stand up to what is happening, and what we are seeing is an actual authoritarian government take place,” Mohamed said.

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She continued by describing the scale of the enforcement activity.

“It has been a difficult few weeks…ICE agents have been here since Monday…deployed by the hundreds, spread across the state of Minnesota,” she added.

The Department of Homeland Security recently announced that at least a dozen criminal illegal aliens were taken into custody during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis.

Among those arrested were five Somali nationals.

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Officials stated that one of the individuals detained, Abdul Dahir Ibrahim, had previously been convicted of welfare fraud in Canada and should not have been granted temporary status in the United States.

DHS also noted that Ibrahim had been photographed with Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar and Governor Tim Walz.

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended the enforcement actions in a statement.

“Sanctuary policies and politicians like Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey allowed these pedophiles, domestic terrorists, and gang members to roam the streets and terrorize Americans. ICE law enforcement are risking their lives to protect Minnesotans while their own elected officials sit by and do nothing. No matter when and where, ICE will find, arrest, and deport ALL criminal illegal aliens.”

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The ongoing focus on Somali migrants comes as Minnesota confronts broader allegations of fraud within state programs.

The Trump administration has raised concerns that social services fraud has escalated in the state and accused officials of failing to prevent misuse of taxpayer funds.

The administration has described Minnesota as “a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” and has said that individuals within the Somali refugee population have disproportionately benefited from state programs tied to recent criminal investigations.

Earlier this month, a White House statement addressed developments in the case, noting that “78 of the 86 individuals charged so far are of Somali ancestry.”

As ICE enforcement continues, the political response in Minnesota remains sharply divided.

State and local officials have voiced differing views on both the nature of the operation and the impact on immigrant communities, while federal authorities maintain that the actions are part of a broader effort to identify and remove criminal illegal aliens from the country.

The investigation into fraud-related activity also remains ongoing as federal agencies continue reviewing evidence and coordinating enforcement measures.

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