In a twist of events, a US judge has stopped the Trump administration from arresting and detaining Somali refugees living legally in the state of Minnesota, following weeks of panic and shocking arrests. Many of those detained were Somalis who had fled war and persecution, now living peaceful lives in Minnesota. Judge Tunheim said the court could not ignore the “stories of terror and trauma” suffered by refugees, calling the operation a clear case of irreparable harm. “This was an unprecedented assault on refugee rights,” said Michele Garnett McKenzie from The Advocates for Human Rights. But for hundreds of Somali families in Minnesota, the judge’s order has brought relief and hope.

Source: The Star January 29, 2026 20:54 UTC