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Ilhan Omar condemns Trump after remarks targeting Somali immigrants
United States Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has strongly criticized President Donald Trump after he launched a new series of verbal attacks against her and Somali immigrants living in Minnesota. The president’s comments, made during a cabinet meeting earlier this week, included calling Somali newcomers “garbage” and questioning their contribution to the country.
Omar responded on social media, describing Trump’s fixation on her as “creepy” and urging him to seek help. She has long been a target of the president’s anti-immigration rhetoric, which has intensified following a recent shooting in Washington, DC, involving a suspect originally evacuated from Afghanistan.
Trump used the incident to justify renewed restrictions on immigration from what he labels “third-world countries,” singling out Somalia. He also criticized Somali Americans for what he claims is a lack of economic contribution, despite studies showing gradual progress in employment rates, education, and household income within the community.
Minnesota is home to one of the largest Somali diaspora populations in the United States, and tensions between the community and the Trump administration are not new. During his first term, Trump implemented travel bans affecting several Muslim-majority nations, including Somalia. More recently, he has attacked the community over a welfare fraud case and mocked Omar’s religious clothing.
Immigrant-rights advocates and progressive groups have condemned the president’s statements, calling them racist and dangerous. For her part, Omar emphasized that Somali Americans play a vital role in Minnesota’s social and economic life and accused Trump of using divisive rhetoric to fuel fear.