Somali Canadians living in Ottawa have condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s tirade against Somali immigrants and their country, saying it has stoked fear and concern within the local community.

Trump’s invective came during a cabinet meeting Tuesday, soon after reports that federal authorities were preparing a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota focused on Somalis living illegally in the U.S.

Trump called Somali immigrants “garbage” who “contribute nothing” to the U.S. and said “I don’t want them in our country.”

He specifically disparaged Minnesota’s large Somali population saying, “I see these people ripping it off.”

The same day Trump made the remarks, his administration said it paused all immigration applications filed by immigrants from 19 non-European c

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