President Donald Trump woke up angry and posted a demand that echoed across the internet and into a grieving city. โArrest them all. They are criminals!!!โ he wrote on Truth Social, linking to a right wing report about cash moved from Minneapolis.
The post came a day after a federal immigration agent shot and killed 37 year old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. Video of the encounter and accounts from neighbors and officials have stirred outrage and questions about the raid that led to her death.
The right wing report Mr. Trump shared says large sums of cash were carried out of the Minneapolis airport by Somali couriers. That story claims the amount found in luggage was far higher than at other big airports and calls the pattern โsubstantially abnormal.โ
Those claims are now wrapped into a blow up of politics and fear. Critics say the cash story and the presidentโs post paint an entire community with one brush. Supporters say the reports justify tougher action. Both sides moved fast after the shooting.
Mr. Trump has not been shy with his words about Somalia or people of Somali descent. He has described Somalia as โfilthy, dirty, disgusting, ridden with crimeโ and has called Somali immigrants โgarbage.โ Those lines have already drawn sharp rebuttal from Minnesota leaders.
The national reaction did more than produce hot posts and angry headlines. A viral video by a pro-Trump content creator, Nick Shirley, that alleged fraud at Somali run daycare centers helped push the matter into federal view. The video was amplified by high profile Trump allies, including Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk, and then picked up by federal agencies.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency had increased its presence and resources to investigate what officials call wide ranging fraud schemes in Minnesota. โWe have surged personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to dismantle large scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs,โ Patel wrote on social media.
Local leaders say the timing could not be worse. Minneapolis already hosts the largest Somali community in the United States. People there now fear more raids, more checks, and more blame. Some community groups called for calm. Others planned protests.
Family members described Renee Good in quiet private words that do not match the chaos around her death. She was a mother and a poet who had just dropped her child at school. Her family says she was not a threat to anyone. Those who saw the video say the actions of agents and the role of the vehicle are not clear. Investigations are under way.
Washington and Minneapolis now face two strains of pressure at once. One is a criminal probe into alleged fraud and money flows. The other is a search for answers about why a U S citizen was shot during a federal sweep. Both matters are serious and both are feeding one another in the public eye.
Featured image via The Daily Glitch Galleryย
This is power politics without consent
Trump keeps his birthday party and crowd
Same drama different election season
Nobel turned into bargaining chip, not honor
Free speech tested in real time
Diplomacy was bypassed for corporate gain