Condemn Presidential Use of Racial Slurs Against Somali Americans

I am writing to urge you to publicly condemn President Trump's recent characterization of Minnesota's Somali community as "garbage" and his statement that he does not want them in our country. This rhetoric has real and dangerous consequences for American communities. The Winooski School District in Vermont provides a stark example of the harm caused by this language. After Superintendent Wilmer Chavarria raised a Somali flag on December 5, 2024, to show solidarity with students of Somali descent who comprise approximately 9% of the district's population, the school was inundated with racist and threatening calls and messages. The harassment became so severe that school phone lines and the district website had to be shut down, and additional police officers were stationed at school buildings. Superintendent Chavarria described the attacks as "extremely, extremely deplorable." The president's words directly endangered children. Somali students in Winooski have asked administrators if their immigrant parents are safe. Mukhtar Abdullahi, a multilingual liaison for Somali-speaking families, felt compelled to remind people that "no one, no human being, regardless of where they come from, is garbage." The facts contradict the president's claims. Most Somali people in Minnesota are U.S. citizens, and more than half were born in the United States. The Minneapolis mayor has documented how Somali immigrants have started businesses, created jobs, and enriched the city's cultural fabric. Somali refugees began arriving in Vermont in 2003 as part of a U.S. government-approved resettlement plan. When the president uses dehumanizing language about any American community, it emboldens harassment and violence. Congress has a constitutional duty to check executive overreach and protect all Americans, regardless of their origin. I urge you to introduce or co-sponsor a resolution condemning this rhetoric and reaffirming that all Americans, including those of Somali descent, deserve dignity and safety in their own country.