US Republican party presidential candidate Donald Trump has accused the Somali community in the state of Minnesota of “spreading extremist views all over the country”.
He used a knife attack by a Somali immigrant in September in St. Cloud city as an example, saying the people of Minnesota have “suffered enough”.
Mr Trump, who was on a whirlwind campaign trip before Tuesday’s election, said that if he became president he would ensure that local communities were consulted before refugees settled.
Like his Democratic party rival Hillary Clinton, Mr Trump was upbeat about winning the contest to replace President Barack Obama.
Tuesday’s election could hinge on about a dozen so-called ‘swing states’ where the contest between the two leading candidates was particularly tight.