I would like to extend my sincere thanks to President Donald Trump for unintentionally elevating the Somali name and giving it one of the loudest and farthest-reaching platforms possible. Regardless of political intent, rhetoric, or underlying motive, the reality is that Somali Americans were brought into national and global conversation in a way that cannot be ignored.
Nowhere is this visibility more evident than in Minnesota, home to one of the largest Somali populations outside of Africa. What began as a refugee community has, over the span of a few decades, transitioned steadily and decisively into a force to be reckoned economically, civically, and culturally. Somali Americans in Minnesota are no longer defined by arrival or adjustment, but by leadership, contribution, and presence.
Across Minnesota and throughout the United States, Somalis are deeply embedded in the fabric of everyday life. They serve as nurses, doctors, lawyers, social workers, teachers, tax professionals, truck drivers, small-business owners, and public servants, among many other professions, contributing across every sector of society. They pay taxes, raise families, create jobs, and help sustain the institutions that keep this country functioning.
At the same time, it must be stated clearly and honestly that fraud is a crime, and like all crimes, it can be committed by anyone, not only Somalis, regardless of race, religion, nationality, or ethnicity. Somalis are not exempt from the law, nor should they be. It is the responsibility of law enforcement and the legal system to investigate and prosecute those who commit fraud, whoever they are, wherever they come from, and whatever their background may be. Justice must be applied individually, not collectively.
What must be rejected, however, is the notion that an entire community should be targeted, stigmatized, or vilified for the actions of a very small minority, many of whom are already being addressed through appropriate legal channels. Collective blame undermines justice, erodes trust, and contradicts the fundamental principles on which this nation was built.
It is also important to acknowledge a reality that is often overlooked: many Somalis voted for President Trump. They did so with the hope that his administration would bring greater safety, strengthen law and order, and improve the education system particularly by addressing curriculum components that do not align with their Islamic values.
These individuals exercised their democratic right to vote based on conviction and conscience. Many are now questioning that choice, as their lived experience has diverged from their expectations marked instead by moments in which their community has felt traumatized, harassed or made to feel unwelcome, particularly in the face of scapegoating and collective blame. Political disagreement must never justify social exclusion or intimidation.
Somali Americans are neither die-hard Democrats nor Republicans by default. They are pragmatic citizens of this great nation, diverse in thought and belief, united by shared interests, and fully entitled to participate in the political process without fear or coercion.
There is an old saying: when elephants fight, the grass suffers. Somali Americans should not become collateral damage in broader political battles. Political rivalry must never come at the expense of innocent communities who are simply living, working, and building their futures in this country.
Ultimately, visibility, whether welcomed or contested, creates opportunity. What matters now is how that visibility is used: to uphold justice without prejudice, to respect political diversity, to recognize contribution over stereotype, and to affirm that Somali Americans are not outsiders in this nation, but an established and integral part of its social fabric.
Somalis will always remember and stand with those who stand with them during times of hardship and turmoil, just as we will never forget the moments when our community was tested, misrepresented, or left to stand alone.