More than six decades after one of the most defining moments of the American civil rights movement, Somali American Minnesotans joined thousands of others in Selma to commemorate the anniversary of Bloody Sunday on the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge.

For many in the Somali community who traveled more than a thousand miles from Minneapolis, the journey was more than a trip, it was a powerful act of solidarity and remembrance. Somali leaders, community members, youth, and families gathered to walk the same bridge where civil rights activists were brutally attacked in 1965 while demanding the right to vote.

The trip left a deep impression on participants

“This was one of the most powerful experiences I’ve had,” said Hodan Hassan, a former Minnesota state representative and community leader. “Standing on that bridge reminds us of the courage it took to demand justice—and why that fight must continue.”

This year’s commemoration of Selma came after months of immigration enforcement operations by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement targeting Minnesotans, including members of the Somali American community. Against that backdrop, the presence of Somali American leaders and community members at the event underscored the enduring connection between past and present struggles for civil rights. Even 61 years later, participants reflected on how many of the same issues remain unresolved — the right to vote, the right to belong, and the right to live with dignity.

Hassan also expressed gratitude to the organizations that helped make the journey possible, including Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Somali American Coalition, COPAL, Ayada Leads, and the Immigrant Defense Network, along with many other groups that worked together to bring communities together in solidarity and purpose.

The long bus ride from Minnesota to Alabama—stretching across more than a thousand miles—was not easy. Yet traveling together strengthened the sense of community among those making the journey.

“Traveling by bus with the community makes the journey meaningful and memorable,” Hassan noted. “Even if the ride itself can be a bit brutal.”

Still, participants said every mile was worth it

The commemoration served as a reminder that the legacy of Selma is not only history—it is a living call to action. As communities across the country continue to advocate for justice and equality, the spirit of those who marched in 1965 remains a guiding force.

And for the Somali American Minnesotans who made the journey south, the message was clear: the struggle continues, but no one stands alone. Moving forward together—across generations, communities, and thousands of miles—remains the most powerful way to honor Selma’s legacy.

Photos credit: Hodan Hassan

MINNEAPOLIS – Booliska magaaladda Minneapolis ayaa sheegay in ay baarayaan saddex toogasho oo kala duwan oo mudo 20 daqiiqadood gudahood ka dhacay magaaladda Minneapolis habeenimadii Khamiista. Toogashooyinkan kala duwan ayaa ka dhacay saddex goobood oo kala duwan xalay.

Dhacdooyinkan toogashadda ah ayeey booliisku sheegeen in ay ka dhaceen goobahan hoos ku xusan:

• Ciwaanka 400 ee Wadada Taylor, Waqooyi-bari, Minneapolis (400 block of Taylor Street Northeast). Toogashadda ayaa goobtan ka dhacday abbaare 6:29 fiidnimo.

• 2035 Wadada West River Waqooyi, toogashaddan ayaa dhacday abbaarihii 6:36 fiidnimo.

• Ciwaanka 800 ee Wadada Franklin East, toogashaddan ayaa dhacday abbaarihii 6:46 fiidnimo.

Booliisku ma aysan soo saarin faahfaahin dheeraad ah oo ku saabsan duruufaha ku xeeran toogashooyinkan. Balse waxay sheegeen in ay socdaan baaritaano la xiriira toogashooyinkan isku xig-xiga ee xalay dhacay. Lama sheegin in ay saddexda toogasho ay isa xiriiraan.

MINNEAPOLIS – The Immigrant Defense Network is calling for a federal investigation into immigration enforcement practices following the dismissal of Kristi Noem as secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

In a statement released Thursday, the Minnesota-based advocacy group said Noem’s removal reflects “growing instability and failures” within federal immigration enforcement leadership but warned that her departure should not shield federal agencies from scrutiny over policies enacted during her tenure.

The organization criticized enforcement actions carried out by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, arguing that tactics expanded under Noem harmed immigrant communities nationwide, particularly in Minnesota.

Central to the group’s criticism is Operation Metro Surge, a federal enforcement initiative the Immigrant Defense Network described as one of the most damaging recent operations affecting local immigrant families. According to the group, the operation created widespread fear in affected neighborhoods and strained trust between residents and public institutions.

The organization also pointed to two deaths connected to enforcement actions linked to the operation: Alex Pretti and Renée Good. The group said the deaths illustrate the dangers of what it characterized as increasingly militarized immigration enforcement strategies.

Beyond those incidents, the Immigrant Defense Network cited broader concerns about conditions in federal immigration detention. The group said more than 73,000 people remain in immigration custody nationwide and that nearly 40 detainees died in detention facilities during Noem’s time leading the Department of Homeland Security.

“These deaths are not statistics,” the organization said in its statement, describing them as evidence of systemic failures within the immigration detention system.

The Immigrant Defense Network is urging federal officials to establish an independent, nonpartisan commission with authority to investigate alleged abuses tied to federal immigration enforcement, including Operation Metro Surge, deaths involving federal agents, and conditions in detention centers. The group also called for an independent review of the deaths of Pretti and Good.

In addition, the organization is advocating for an immediate halt to deportations and renewed efforts to pass comprehensive immigration reform that would create a pathway to citizenship, strengthen due process protections, and reduce reliance on enforcement-driven policies.

The group said communities in Minnesota and across the country continue to deal with the fallout from recent enforcement operations, citing family separations, economic hardship for immigrant-owned businesses, and declining trust in government institutions.

“Leadership changes at DHS will mean nothing if the policies and culture that allowed these abuses to occur remain intact,” the organization said.

The Immigrant Defense Network said it will continue to work with families and community members affected by enforcement actions as it presses for what it described as “truth, justice, and accountability.”