Attack on Ilhan Omar, targeting of American Somalis: How Trump’s focus on Minnesota turning into human rights nightmare

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is sprayed with a foul-smelling liquid during a town hall, highlighting heightened tensions in Minnesota during aggressive federal immigration actions.

Washington: Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar was sprayed with a foul-smelling liquid during a town hall she was hosting in Minneapolis on Tuesday. The man responsible rushed toward the stage as she criticised federal immigration enforcement.

She was unharmed and quickly regained control of the event, reassuring constituents that the people of Minnesota are resilient and will not be intimidated. She recalled that her upbringing had taught her never to give in to threats.

While the motive for the attack is still unknown, the incident shows the broader hostility Omar has faced for years. Born in Mogadishu, Somalia, she and her community have repeatedly been targeted by threats, both online and in person. In recent weeks, hostility has intensified as federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis has become particularly aggressive, coinciding with attacks on Somali communities in Minnesota, the city Omar represents.

The past three weeks alone saw two US citizens shot dead by federal officers during protests against immigration actions. It has further escalated tensions.

The attack occurred as Omar was criticising the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security, calling for their leadership to resign and the abolition of ICE. Security quickly restrained the man, who was identified as 55-year-old Anthony Kazmierczak, who had been seated in the front row. Omar continued the town hall, refusing to let fear dictate her work. Witnesses described the liquid as having a strong and unpleasant odour, though authorities are yet to identify the substance.

Omar’s story is rooted in a journey that began when her family fled Somalia in 1991, after the country descended into violent conflict and famine. She spent four years in a refugee camp in Kenya before resettling in Virginia, later moving to Minneapolis, home to the largest Somali population (estimated at 80,000 people) in the United States.

Most Somali Minnesotans were born in the United States while the majority of immigrants from Somalia have since become naturalised citizens.

In recent months, President Donald Trump has criticised Somali communities in Minnesota on many ocassions. He terminated temporary protected status for Somali immigrants, accusing them of involvement in crime and fraud without providing evidence. He claimed Somali residents had contributed nothing to the United States while relying on aid. He even called them “garbage”. These statements extended to Somali communities in Minnesota, showing the population as a threat and drawing widespread criticism, including from members of his own party.

Federal actions in Minnesota have mirrored the rhetoric. ICE operations have been marked by aggressive tactics, including the fatal shootings of Renee Nicole Good, a woman allegedly targeted while driving away from officers, and Alex Pretti, a nurse killed while assisting a woman in distress. The Trump administration justified both deaths as self-defence, though video evidence has raised questions.

In response, Omar and state officials emphasised that these actions disproportionately target communities of colour and represent an attack on the city she serves.

Trump’s scrutiny of Omar specifically has a long history. In 2019, he falsely accused her of downplaying the September 11 attacks, which led to a spike in death threats against her. During his 2020 re-election campaign, he called her ungrateful and attacked her background, while supporters chanted “Send her back!” In December, he criticised her again, accusing her of hating everyone and making baseless claims of anti-Semitism.

Omar described Trump’s repeated focus on her as obsessive and “creepy”.

The attack on Tuesday happened during rising tensions in Minnesota, where Somali communities and Congresswoman Omar’s office have been at the centre of intense federal immigration enforcement operations and scrutiny. While she condemned the attack, she insisted it would not disrupt her work.