For decades, Somali Americans have called Minnesota home. They've built businesses, raised families, and contributed deeply to the social, cultural, and economic fabric of our state. Now, they’re being vilified and threatened at the highest levels of power — and we must speak up.

President Trump recently unleashed a wave of hateful, dangerous rhetoric, declaring that Somali immigrants “contribute nothing,” calling them “garbage,” and pledging to strip legal protections and deport them en masse. These comments are not just racist — they’re reckless. And they have real-world consequences.

In the wake of these remarks, federal immigration agents have descended on Minneapolis and St. Paul, questioning residents — even U.S. citizens — simply because they “look Somali.” Businesses in Cedar-Riverside and at Karmel and 24 Somali Malls have seen fewer customers. Families are carrying green cards and passports out of fear. And for what? The actions of some fraudsters are now being used to justify collective punishment of an entire community.

This is how scapegoating works. It’s wrong. And in Minnesota, we don’t turn on our neighbors.

We, the undersigned, demand that our elected leaders in Minnesota take a public, forceful stand to protect the Somali community. That includes:

• Condemning Trump’s dehumanizing remarks
• Investigating potential civil rights violations tied to recent federal immigration raids
• Defending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somalis still rebuilding their lives after fleeing war
• Ensuring state and local law enforcement never assist in targeting communities based on race or origin

Minnesota’s Somali community is not a threat — it is a vital part of who we are. We refuse to let hatred and fear define our state. Join us in calling on Minnesota's elected officials to act now.

Photo: Jessie Wardarski/AP