Hold onto your hats, folks -- Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, has dropped a bombshell about her son being stopped by ICE agents over the weekend.

In a nutshell, Omar claims her son was pulled over by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis, only to be released after showing his passport ID, amid a broader surge in immigration enforcement targeting the Somali community, as Newsweek reports.

This incident comes on the heels of heightened rhetoric from President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly criticized Minnesota’s Somali population and Omar herself with sharp words.

ICE Enforcement Surges in Minneapolis Area

Earlier this month, the Department of Homeland Security rolled out Operation Metro Surge, a campaign aimed at apprehending what they call serious criminal offenders among unauthorized migrants in the Minneapolis region.

President Trump has doubled down on promises of a historic mass deportation effort, pushing law enforcement to crack down hard on crime and immigration violations.

Yet, reports have surfaced of individuals with valid visas and even U.S. citizens like Susan Tincher, a 55-year-old arrested after allegedly clashing with agents, getting caught in the crossfire of these aggressive sweeps.

Omar’s Son Released After ID Check

Omar shared in a WCCO interview that her son was stopped after a routine errand at Target, only to face questioning by ICE agents.

“Once he was able to produce his passport ID, they did let him go,” Omar told WCCO, a small relief in what she describes as a troubling pattern.

She’s not wrong to express concern -- Omar noted that her son always keeps his ID handy, a precaution in a climate where she believes young Somali men are being unfairly targeted.

Trump’s Rhetoric Fuels Community Tensions

President Donald Trump hasn’t minced words, declaring at a Cabinet meeting on Dec. 2 that both Omar and the Somali community contribute little to the nation, using language that’s hard to ignore.

“Somalians should be out of here. They’ve destroyed our country,” Trump told reporters the next day at a White House event, a statement that’s sparked outrage among critics like Democrat Senate candidate Graham Platner from Maine.

While Trump’s focus on border security resonates with many who crave order, such broad-brush comments risk alienating an entire community -- especially in Minnesota, home to 84,000 Somali descendants, most of whom are U.S.-born or naturalized citizens.

Profiling Concerns and Broader Impacts

Omar has voiced fears of racial profiling, recalling a separate incident where ICE agents allegedly entered a mosque during her son’s prayers, a move that feels like overreach to many.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has defended the operations, pointing to concerns about visa fraud in Minnesota, but when citizens like Tincher get swept up, it’s fair to ask if the net is cast too wide.

With ongoing enforcement in Minneapolis, the balance between security and fairness remains a tightrope -- let’s hope policy, not rhetoric, ultimately steers the ship.