Congresswoman Betty McCollum Defends Minnesota's Somali Community During Remarks at Minnesota State Capitol
“An attack against one of us is an attack against all of us,” says Dean of Minnesota’s Congressional Delegation
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — In a post on his social media platform late Friday night, President Donald Trump announced that he would “immediately” terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Somali immigrants living in Minnesota. In response to the President’s attacks on Minnesota’s Somali community, Congresswoman McCollum joined Minnesota leaders and stakeholders from the Somali community at a press event in the Minnesota Capitol Rotunda on Monday morning to defend our Minnesota values and vibrant immigrant communities. During the press event, Congresswoman McCollum delivered the following remarks:
“The Somali-American community is a vibrant part of our state, and I’m here today to stand with my brothers and sisters. In Minnesota, as was pointed out by the other speakers, we welcome our immigrant neighbors and treat them with respect, and we treat them with dignity. It’s been 50 years since the Vietnam War when we welcomed Hmong and Lao war veterans who fought alongside American forces during the secret war in Laos. They were welcomed into our communities. In the 1990s during the Somali Civil War, Minnesota again provided a safe new home for families displaced by extreme violence. The Minnesota immigrant communities are making contributions that make our neighborhoods and our nation a better place.
“Republicans continue to single out Democratic states that follow federal immigration law, turning our neighbors into scapegoats to win votes. I’m ready to get to work, seriously, about fixing our broken immigration system. It’s time for Trump and Republicans to come to the table if they truly care about comprehensive reform that upholds America’s values and keeps our country safe. Instead, for months Trump’s been stoking tensions across the country with reckless and illegal mass deportations that violate the essence of America: due process. Across America, he’s illegally deploying the National Guard and at the cost of hundreds of millions of dollars per day. In Washington D.C., it’s $1.3 million per day for the deployed National Guard.
“Now, back to late Friday night, when he hurled ugly late-night threats against Minnesota’s Somali community. You have to ask yourself why. It’s because Trump and Republicans are doing nothing to address the real crises facing us as Americans: The U.S. economy is in shambles, the cost of living is soaring, Trump and Republicans have created a health care crisis, and they’ve failed to deliver essential heating assistance for Minnesotans this winter.
“We know that when Donald Trump is in trouble, he always falls back to what he knows: throwing attacks and creating chaos. Americans deserve better than Trump’s attacks and misinformation about what’s happening here in Minnesota. Here’s the reality: Crime is declining. We continue to be ranked as one of the best states to start a business and raise a family. If Trump and House Republicans are serious about addressing the real challenges facing our country, they wouldn’t be attacking; they’d be listening to Minnesotans seeing their health care premiums rise, struggling to afford Trump’s taxes of tariffs – and that effects everything from groceries, to gas, to heating.
“I want to be clear: An attack against one of us is an attack against all of us. I’m proud to stand up for our Minnesota values with my brothers and sisters. I thank Governor Walz and Attorney General Keith Ellison for all they do to move things forward in court. And I’m so proud to stand with my brothers and sisters in the Minnesota House and Senate. We haven’t changed our values since I served here. Let me say it again: An attack against one of us is an attack against all of us.”
Click here to watch Congresswoman McCollum’s remarks on YouTube.
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