Somali mothers strenghten Minneapolis community with traditional tea

A group of dozens of Somali mothers in Minneapolis are quietly resisting the surge in United States federal immigration officers in the area by brewing traditional tea.

Community organiser Nasro Hassen and her neighbours hand out the steaming cups to people on the streets who monitor for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in subfreezing temperatures.

Their ginger-flavoured traditional tea is not just an efficient way to warm up in the cold Minnesota weather. It is also a way to connect with local residents.

"Our neighbours have provided invaluable support during the incidents with ICE. They have supported us," says Hassen. "They came to our rescue and offered us protection. In return, we offer them tea and sambusas."

This group of Somali mothers has been passing out tea at memorial sites for ICE victims Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

The situation in Minneapolis has grown even more tense since federal agents killed the two American citizens last month. Both local authorities and protesters have called on ICE to withdraw from the city.

"As mothers, we felt deep sorrow for the mother who was murdered, as she left behind children, and that truly affected us," says Hassen. "Then the boy who was a nurse was another tragedy. It broke our hearts to lose these precious people."

Despite the risks, Hassen and her group also engage in their own patrols around the Minneapolis Somali enclave of Cedar Riverside.

"We take turns supporting and guarding our neighbourhood as well. We blow our whistles and stand vigilant. We are everywhere," she says.

In recent months, US President Donald Trump has scaled up his verbal attacks and threats against the Somali community.

Minnesota holds the largest number of Somali residents in the country, with nearly 58% of them born in the US, according to the US Census Bureau.