Three Minnesotans Deported to Somalia After Guantánamo Bay Detention

Three Minnesotans Deported to Somalia After Guantánamo Bay Detention

In late September 2026, three Somali men from Minnesota were deported to Somalia after spending approximately one month in detention at Guantánamo Bay. Their removal followed a complex journey through multiple U.S. detention facilities, a transfer to Cuba, and onward movement through Kenya before their final destination in Africa. This event highlights intensified immigration enforcement and the use of offshore detention sites for individuals facing removal orders.

A Journey Through Detention

The men involved in this deportation were identified as Adam Mohamed Abdullah, 31, of St. Paul; Hassan Abdi Abtidoon, 31; and Abdullahi Jamal Abdi, 42. Public accounts varied on the exact number of individuals deported in the group, with some reports stating eight men were removed, while others indicated a total of nine. It was also noted that as many as twelve individuals may have passed through the Guantánamo Bay facility in recent weeks.

Abdullah, who had a work permit and Social Security number and was reported to have no criminal record, was arrested in St. Paul on December 12, 2025, as part of an operation called “Operation Metro Surge.” His detention involved transfers through facilities in Minnesota, Kentucky, and Louisiana before he was moved to Guantánamo Bay. This timeline illustrates the extensive process of moving detainees across various locations prior to their final removal.

The “Refueling Stop” That Wasn’t

The detainees were initially informed that their transfer to Guantánamo Bay was a temporary stop for refueling. However, this turned into weeks of confinement at Camp 6, located at the U.S. naval base in Cuba. One account suggested that the stop in Cuba was not for refueling purposes at all.

By September 9, 2026, Abdullah had been held at the base for about two weeks. A report on September 15 mentioned three men from Minnesota among a group of eight detainees held at the facility. On September 24, immigration attorney Marc Prokosch learned that the men were being flown from Guantánamo Bay to Kenya. The following day, a group of eight men, who had been detained at the base for roughly a month, were deported. Further reports on October 2 confirmed that three men from Minnesota were part of this group sent to Somalia.

Government Justification and Legal Challenges

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security defended the use of the Guantánamo Bay base for detaining individuals who entered the country illegally. The department stated that the deportees possessed serious criminal histories, including charges such as aggravated assault, weapons offenses, robbery, multiple larcenies, and drug offenses.

However, attorneys and family members disputed these claims for some of the individuals. Attorney Marc Prokosch, who represented some of the men, criticized the use of the base as a “political scare tactic.” He also noted that the transfers appeared legally justified because the men had existing deportation orders. Senator Tina Smith questioned the administration’s account of Abdullah’s case, stating there was no evidence presented about his alleged actions and no clear explanation for his detention. The removals were reportedly carried out based on existing final orders rather than new criminal convictions.

Rising Removal Orders Against Somali Immigrants

These deportations occurred within a context of increased immigration enforcement targeting Somali residents in Minnesota. Reports indicated that over 500 Somali immigrants from the state received removal orders in 2026, and more than 1,000 Somali asylum-seekers had been ordered deported since February of the same year. The detailed accounts of the flight path and detention transfers underscore the methods used by authorities to move detainees before their final removal from the country.

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