…targets illegal immigrants from Somalia, as Democrat leaders keep mute
By Helen Duff
United States President, Mr. Donald J. Trump has threatened to deploy Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to airports across the country if Democrats do not immediately sign an agreement to end the ongoing standoff that has affected federal operations.
President Trump issued the threat in a post on his Truth Social platform, in which he accused the “Radical Left Democrats” of holding the country hostage and preventing airports from being free and safe.
In the post, Trump said:
“If the Radical Left Democrats don’t immediately sign an agreement to let our Country, in particular, our Airports, be FREE and SAFE again, I will move our brilliant and patriotic ICE Agents to the Airports where they will do Security like no one has ever seen before, including the immediate arrest of all Illegal Immigrants who have come into our Country, with heavy emphasis on those from Somalia, who have totally destroyed, with the approval of a corrupt Governor, Attorney General, and Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, the once Great State of Minnesota.
I look forward to seeing ICE in action at our Airports. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
The statement, which has since gone viral, is the latest in the escalating war of words between the Trump administration and Democratic lawmakers over funding for the federal government and immigration enforcement.
Trump has repeatedly blamed Democrats for disruptions at airports, including flight delays, cancellations and long queues, following the shutdown of parts of the federal government and the resulting shortage of air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers.
The President said moving ICE agents to airports would not only restore order and safety but also enable the arrest of illegal immigrants who entered the country, with particular focus on Somali nationals.
In his post, Trump singled out Somalia and the State of Minnesota, which hosts one of the largest Somali-American communities in the United States, particularly in Minneapolis.
He accused Minnesota Governor, the state Attorney General and Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who represents Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives and is herself of Somali origin, of presiding over the destruction of what he described as the once Great State of Minnesota.
The comments have drawn sharp reactions from Democrats, immigration advocates and Somali community leaders, who described the remarks as divisive and an attempt to scapegoat immigrants for the shutdown crisis.
Supporters of the President, however, say the move would demonstrate his resolve to secure the country’s borders and restore order at airports, and to enforce immigration laws without fear or favour.
It remains unclear whether the President has the legal authority to deploy ICE agents to perform airport security functions traditionally carried out by the TSA, and whether such a move would be implemented if Democrats fail to agree to his demands.
As of the time of filing this report, Democratic leaders had not issued an official response to the President’s latest threat, but the standoff over government funding and immigration policy continues to dominate political debate in Washington.