MN Representative Accuses ICE of Stopping Her Son

[Webster]

(The Guardian) Ilhan Omar says ICE agents pulled her son over
Ilhan Omar, the Somalia-born Minnesota congresswoman, has said her son was pulled over by ICE agents on Saturday and asked to provide proof of citizenship. “Yesterday, after he made a stop at Target, he did get pulled over by ICE agents, and once he was able to produce his passport ID, they did let him go,” she told WCCO’s Esme Murphy.

Omar fled civil war as a young child, came to the US as a refugee and became a US citizen in 2000. She became one of the first people of Muslim faith to be elected to the US Congress after winning Minnesota’s fifth congressional district in the midterm elections in 2018.

Omar told WCCO that it was “disturbing” and “creepy” to have the president be “obsessed with you” – but said it is a deflection tactic to focus attention away from his political failures.

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In the interview with WCCO, Representative Ilhan Omar said her office has received a flood of calls in the weeks since Trump began targeting her by name and calling her, and other Somalis, “garbage”.

Most of those calls, she said, are people lending their support and saying they disagree with the president.

“They also tell us to continue fighting, because it does set an example when you stand up to bullies,” Omar said.

She touched on the massive fraud cases in Minnesota, which is part of why Trump has said he’s going after Somalis. Many of those convicted of defrauding public programs, including a program meant to provide meals to kids, are of Somali descent. Omar said the whole community should not be blamed for the crimes of individuals, and that she and other Minnesotans also were “deeply hurt” by the fraud. As to whether money sent from Somalis in the US back home could be funding Al-Shabaab, the terrorist group – a claim made by rightwing media in recent weeks – she said she supports the government investigating.

 

[gwolf666]

Ilhan Omar's experience with ICE authorities reflects the tensions and challenges faced by many immigrants and refugees in the United States. Her personal story—fleeing a civil war and becoming a congresswoman—inspires many, but it also highlights how immigration policies and actions can generate fear and distrust in vulnerable communities. Omar's statement about the president's obsession and the calls of support demonstrate resilience and solidarity in the face of discrimination and political attacks. Furthermore, her clarification regarding the fraud cases in Minnesota underscores the importance of not criminalizing an entire community for the actions of a few. Regarding the allegations about funds sent by immigrants, supporting investigations is responsible, but it is crucial to avoid generalizations and biases that can divide and stigmatize entire communities. Justice and respect must prevail in all immigration policy.