Somalis condemn Donald Trump’s refugee rhetoric

World Today

The United States presidential nominee Donald Trump has angered many communities with his comments on refugees and immigrants. Earlier this week, Trump accused Somali refuges of terrorism.

CCTV’s Abdulaziz Billow reports from Mogadishu.

Trump recently linked Somalis to terrorism while addressing his supporters in Maine, saying they infiltrated the United States under the disguise of refugees.

“We’ve just seen many, many crimes getting worse all the time,” Trump said. “And as Maine knows, a major destination for Somali refuges. We admit hundreds of thousands into Maine and many other places in the U.S. Hundreds of thousands of refugees, and they are coming from among the most dangerous territories and places in the world.”

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The Somali community in Maine and across the world has condemned Trump’s remarks.

“To the American public, please don’t elect Donald Trump as your president,” urged Mogadishu resident Wacdi Abdi Kaahiye. “This is a man who is encouraging and propagating racist remarks against Muslim and calling all Somalis as terrorists.”

Somalis in the U.S. worry that Trump’s remarks could fuel racist attacks against certain communities.

But legal Somali Americans will likely not be affected by Trump’s anti-immigration sentiments even if he is elected president, said Analyst Hassan Sheikh Imam.

“Somalis in America legally will not be affected under Trump’s presidency,” Hassan said. “Those still waiting to be granted asylum might face serious challenges. By now, I think the whole world knows that Trump is not a problem to the U.S., but to the whole world.”