1. United States
2. Mich.
3. Letter

Michiganders need leadership that brings this country together instead of driving us further apart. President Trump’s recent comments about our Somali immigrant neighbors in Minnesota were profoundly disturbing. Calling any group of people “garbage” or claiming that they “contribute nothing” is inaccurate, offensive, and dangerous. Somali Americans are part of our workforce, our military, our schools, and our communities. Here in Michigan, they are our neighbors and colleagues. They pay taxes, start businesses, raise families, and help build this country in the same way as every other group that arrived before them. Speaking about any community as if its members are a burden lowers the standard of public discourse and undermines the dignity owed to every person who lives here. It doesn’t make America stronger. It doesn’t solve immigration challenges. It only inflames fear and resentment, including here in Michigan where many immigrant families are already navigating real challenges and discrimination. I implore you to stand up and condemn language that dehumanizes entire groups of people, and to show clear support for all immigrant communities in our state and our country. Americans have every right to expect leaders who speak clearly, tell the truth, and never strip people of their dignity. Policy debates are healthy. Personal attacks on entire communities are not.