ICE announced that federal agents arrested multiple criminal illegal aliens during Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, which began on December 1, 2025. The Department of Homeland Security described those taken into custody as “the worst of the worst,” citing extensive criminal histories that included violent and repeat offenses.
According to DHS, individuals arrested during the operation had convictions for crimes such as child sexual abuse, domestic violence, gang-related activity, fraud, robbery, and other serious offenses. Officials stated that many of those individuals had remained in the community despite prior arrests and convictions, attributing their continued presence to sanctuary policies and local leadership decisions. ICE said the operation was carried out to enforce federal immigration law and address public safety concerns.
Several of the individuals arrested were illegal aliens from Somalia. ICE identified Abdulkadir Sharif Abdi as a former Gangster Disciples member and a current member of the Vice Lord Nation. His criminal history includes convictions for fraud, receiving stolen property, possession of a stolen vehicle, vehicle theft, and multiple probation violations.
Another Somali national, Sahal Osman Shidane, was convicted of criminal sexual conduct involving a minor between the ages of 13 and 15. Mukthar Mohamed Ali was convicted of assault, fraud, robbery, and larceny. Ahmed Mohamed Said has multiple convictions, including two domestic violence offenses, three DUI convictions, assault, property damage, and probation violations. Feisal Mohamed-Omar was charged with two counts of domestic violence.
In a separate federal case, 19-year-old Minnesota gang member Ibrahim Ahmed Mohamud, also known as “Ibbs” or “30,” pleaded guilty to possession of a machinegun. Mohamud is a member of the Young Slime Life (YSL) criminal street gang and was linked to a February 24, 2024 drive-by shooting in which the victim was mistakenly believed to be affiliated with a rival gang tied to the Muddy group and the Somali Outlaws.
During a search of Mohamud and his vehicle, law enforcement recovered two firearms, including a Glock 19X pistol equipped with a switch that made it fully automatic. Forensic analysis linked the firearms to another gang-related shooting that occurred two days earlier in Lino Lakes, Minnesota, targeting suspected Muddy gang members. Mohamud’s DNA was found on the modified firearm, and police vehicle footage captured him attempting to pressure a juvenile passenger into claiming responsibility for the weapons. Mohamud entered his guilty plea before a U.S. District Court judge, with sentencing to be scheduled at a later date.
Federal law enforcement agencies report that Somali gangs operate in several U.S. cities, particularly in the Twin Cities area. These groups include the Somali Outlaws, Somali Mafia, and Lady Outlaws. Investigations have documented their involvement in drug and weapons trafficking, human trafficking, credit card fraud, prostitution, violent crime, and burglaries.
Unlike many traditional gangs, Somali gangs are organized primarily around ethnicity rather than geographic territory. Criminal activity often spans multiple states, making investigations more difficult. Law enforcement officials have also reported instances of witness intimidation and tampering connected to these groups.
Studies conducted by the National Institute of Justice and the Department of Justice show that between 2007 and 2012, 23 cases involved individuals of Somali background joining or attempting to join al-Shabaab. From 2013 to 2015, 16 cases involved attempts to join ISIS. During that period, Minnesota accounted for 39 foreign fighter cases—approximately 25 percent of the national total.
Beginning in 2007, several Somali-Americans from Minnesota traveled overseas to join al-Shabaab. After 2012, others traveled or attempted to travel to join ISIS. In 2008, Shirwa Ahmed, a Somali-born American citizen from Minnesota, became the first documented American suicide bomber.
More than 20 individuals were convicted in U.S. District Court in Minnesota on terrorism-related charges connected to al-Shabaab recruitment. Starting in 2013, ISIS recruitment efforts targeted Somali Minnesotans, leading to additional cases involving individuals who traveled, attempted to travel, or prepared to travel overseas.
In 2015, the FBI arrested nine Somali-American men from Minneapolis for attempting to join ISIS. During their 2016 trial, defendants testified that they were radicalized online by extremist propaganda, including sermons by Anwar al-Awlaki and ISIS execution videos. Some claimed they believed they were traveling to defend Muslims in Syria. U.S. District Judge Michael J. Davis ordered several defendants to undergo risk assessments as part of a terrorism disengagement and deradicalization program.
President Trump has faced criticism from political opponents who argue that his statements about Somali immigrants are unfair or exaggerated. However, federal law enforcement records document cases involving welfare fraud, visa fraud, organized gang activity, and extremist networks tied to individuals investigated and prosecuted by U.S. authorities, which the administration has cited in support of its immigration and public safety policies.