❓WHAT HAPPENED: Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara urged Somalis to call 911 on masked individuals detaining people—clearly referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents—suggesting they might be kidnappers.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, the Somali community, ICE, and President Donald J. Trump.
📍WHEN & WHERE: December 3, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Folks that are masked—when people aren’t sure if they’re law enforcement, or if they may be kidnapping people—we have had those reports.” – Brian O’Hara
🎯IMPACT: Heightened tensions between local authorities and federal immigration enforcement, amid Trump’s recent remarks on Somali immigrants.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara is urging members of the Minnesota city’s Somali and broader immigrant communities to stay alert and contact 911 if they witness masked individuals detaining people, warning that such encounters could involve kidnappers rather than legitimate law enforcement. O’Hara stressed the need for residents to be able to distinguish between authorized officers and potentially dangerous impersonators, saying the department will investigate every report and reminding officers of their obligation to intervene if they observe supposed human rights violations.
“Folks that are masked—when people aren’t sure if they’re law enforcement, or if they may be kidnapping people—we have had those reports. I want to be clear to the community: the community should know that if you see something like that and you don’t know whether someone is law enforcement, you should call 911 and provide as much information as possible,” O’Hara said.
His comments follow reports that a large federal immigration operation is being prepared in Minnesota’s Twin Cities, with more than 100 agents reportedly assigned to target Somalis.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) reiterated the city’s refusal to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on civil immigration enforcement, reaffirming a long-standing policy that blocks local involvement in federal immigration actions, despite the threat migrant criminals pose to the public.
President Donald J. Trump has strongly criticized Somali immigrants in recent days, linking them to crime and other social problems. “Somalians ripped off [Minnesota] for billions of dollars. Every year, billions of dollars, and they contribute nothing. The welfare is like 88 percent. I don’t want them in our country,” he said.
Minnesota is home to the largest Somali population in the United States, with tens of thousands residing primarily in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Notably, the community has faced scrutiny amid investigations into public-assistance fraud involving Somali-run businesses or individuals. Somali medicaid fraud may have cost American taxpayers as much as a billion dollars or more, according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Some of the money may even have been funneled to terrorist groups like the radical Islamist al-Shabaab organization.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara says that Somalians should call 911 if ICE shows up wearing masks to make arrests.
He says police will “immediately respond” and “intervene.”
Interfering with immigration enforcement is a CRIME. pic.twitter.com/yTY0lFg3Sb
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) December 2, 2025
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