<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US President Donald Trump during a lengthy Cabinet meeting said he did not want Somali immigrants in the US, saying residents of the war-ravaged eastern African country are too reliant on the social safety net and add little to the US.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>His comment came days after his administration announced they are halting all asylum decisions following the shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The suspect in last week's incident is originally from Afghanistan but Trump has used the moment to raise questions about immigrants from other nations, including Somalia.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/logan-shooting-man-killed-in-park-queensland/ce8f6faa-1fc3-495f-8117-0370994a1334" rel="" target="_blank" title=" Man shot dead in Logan park overnight"><strong><span> Man shot dead in Logan park overnight</span></strong></a><strong></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"They contribute nothing. The welfare is like 88 per cent or something. They contribute nothing. I don't want them in our country," he said. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Their country is no good for a reason. Your country stinks and we don't want them in our country."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Trump was speaking as his administration was finalising an immigration enforcement operation that will primarily target Somali immigrants living unlawfully in the US, according to a person familiar with the planning.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/trump-tells-somali-immigrants-to-return-home/de6078d7-1eb8-4c34-98f8-82db32af382b" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It could begin in days and is expected to zero in on people in the central eastern cities of Minneapolis–St Paul who have final orders of deportation, the person said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Teams of immigration agents would spread across the cities in what the person described as a directed, high-priority sweep, though the plans remain fluid and subject to change.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/wa-bushfires-man-dies-at-ravensthorpe-fighting-blazes/03831243-95d4-44f8-b624-b54aa548da14" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Tributes flow for much-loved farmer killed fighting WA bushfire</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations that have not been publicly disclosed.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The operation was first reported by </span><em><span>The New York Times</span></em><span>.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>US Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the agency would not discuss "future or potential operations."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>