US lawmakers condemn Trump's remarks on Somali Americans as 'xenophobic and unacceptable'

Senior Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday condemned President Donald Trump’s strongly derogatory comments about Somali-Americans, including immigrant and refugee families.

In a joint statement, Representatives Gregory W. Meeks and Sara Jacobs and Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Cory Booker denounced Trump’s comments as “xenophobic and unacceptable.”

"President Trump’s remarks disparaging Somalia, Somali Americans and Somali immigrants in the United States – including a sitting member of Congress, Representative Ilhan Omar – are xenophobic and unacceptable.

"Instead of using the power of the presidency to bring our country together, President Trump chose to attack an American immigrant community, the overwhelming majority of whom are law-abiding and have made many positive contributions to the United States," the lawmakers said.

Trump's remarks

The statement came after Trump said at a televised Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that Somalis "ripped off" billions of dollars from Minnesota every year and "contribute nothing," referring to the state's large Somali-American population.

"Their country is no good for a reason… we don't want them in our country," he said, adding: “We’re going to go the wrong way if we keep taking in garbage into our country.”

On Wednesday, despite a backlash to his remarks, Trump doubled down, saying: “Look how bad their nation is. It’s not even a nation...”

He added: "These Somalians… have a representative, Ilhan Omar... she shouldn't be allowed to be a congresswoman... and she should be thrown the hell out of our country.”

Threat to national cohesion

The Democratic lawmakers warned that Trump’s rhetoric not only harms domestic cohesion but also has international consequences, arguing that such statements “undercut US interests, stoke anti-American sentiment and create openings for terrorist groups like Al Shabab to exploit.”

"We must reject language that divides Americans and support those immigrants who contribute to our communities, economy and national security," they added.

Since his successful 2016 run for president, Trump has a long record of criticising immigrants to the US, especially from some countries, and suggesting they are largely made up of criminals.

American history has many examples of newer immigrant groups, including Chinese, Irish, and Italians, facing discrimination and racist rhetoric before later being accepted as part of the nation’s “melting pot.”