Réfugiée somalienne, musulmane, élue du Congrès… Pourquoi Ilhan Omar obsède Donald Trump
Minnesota congresswoman, former Somali refugee, and emblematic figure of the American left, Ilhan Omar has become a prime target of Donald Trump.
Regularly targeted by Donald Trump, the 43-year-old congresswoman, Ilhan Omar, finds herself once again at the center of the president's attacks, who in recent days has multiplied hostile remarks towards her and towards the Somali community of Minnesota.
This week, he again referred to Somali immigrants as "scum" and raised the idea of "deporting" her, despite her American citizenship. This latest escalation reignites a much older political and personal conflict. But who is Ilhan Omar? A profile of a Democratic congresswoman who has become one of the symbols of progressive resistance against Donald Trump.
Arrived in Minnesota in 1997
Born in Somalia in 1982, Ilhan Omar experienced the civil war before fleeing as a child with her family to a refugee camp in Kenya. It wasn't until 1997 that she arrived in Minneapolis, a city in the north of the country that is now home to one of the largest Somali communities.
From a very young age, her grandfather encouraged her to take an interest in politics. Before entering the electoral arena, she worked as a community educator at the University of Minnesota and then as an analyst and political advisor at the Minneapolis City Council.
First African refugee in Congress
Her election to the House of Representatives in 2019 marked a historic turning point. Ilhan Omar became the first African refugee to serve in Congress, and one of the first two Muslim women elected.
In Minnesota's 5th district, she quickly established herself as the spokesperson for the working class and immigrant families, advocating for student debt cancellation, ambitious immigration reform, an increase in the minimum wage, and more radical climate policies.
"Send her back," a long-standing hostility
This meteoric rise immediately stirred the hostility of Donald Trump. As early as 2019, during a rally, he allowed a crowd of supporters to chant "send her back," after a barrage of attacks against the congresswoman.
Back in power, the Republican White House has intensified its rhetoric. Trump now accuses Somalis of having "destroyed the country" and insinuates that Ilhan Omar is involved in fraud, without providing a shred of evidence. The congresswoman sees this as a well-honed political strategy: diverting attention from economic and social difficulties by designating a scapegoat, mixing racism, Islamophobia, and conspiracy theories.
"He knows he's failing," so "he stirs up hatred."
In an op-ed published Thursday in The New York Times, the congresswoman responded: “He knows he’s failing, so he’s resorting to what he does best: stirring up hatred to divert attention.” She asserted that these attacks have very real consequences: each time the president speaks out, a surge of death threats against his family, his staff, and members of the Somali community is unleashed. “What worries me most is not my safety,” she wrote. “It’s the people who share my identities—Black, Somali, Muslim, immigrant—who are likely to pay the price.”
Yet, far from being weakened in her state, Ilhan Omar remains supported by her constituents. A large majority of Somalis in Minnesota are American citizens, often proud of an elected official who symbolizes their integration and success. At a time when Donald Trump is making the fight against immigration the centerpiece of his second term, Ilhan Omar appears more than ever as his antithesis: a woman, Black, Muslim, progressive, and a product of exile. A perfect adversary for a president who likes to shape his enemies. But she insists she will not back down: "The people of Minnesota not only welcome refugees, they sent one to Congress."
Commentaires (3)
Elle a marié son frère pour lui faire obtenir la carte de séjour, elle se présente comme somalienne avant d'être américaine, il y a de forts soupçons qu'elle est entachée par les détournements de fonds publics commis par un groupe de somaliens au Minnesota.
À part cela, elle a un beau sourire et Trump devrait la laisser en paix, n'est-ce pas?
Un ramassis de suspicions qui viennent de l extrême droite. Tu oublies de dire qu elle est brillante, qu elle a toujours défendu les droits des minorités et qu elle est très active auprès des communautés. On ne gagne pas contre la Vérité. Trump oh, ou qui que ce soit personne ne pourra rien contre cette jeune dame. Idem pour le jeune maire et cette nouvelle vague de socio démocrates qui amèneront on l espère un grand changement dans une société en chute libre depuis la crise de 2008.
Stop lying bro. Trump ne peut juste pas tolérer la contradiction et encore moins une femme musulmane émancipée qui defend ses idées et opinions. Donny est arrogant, sexiste et raciste. A cause de donny, j’aime cette femme davantage. Il ne cede pas comme l’a fait Marjorie T G qui fut un grand supporter de Trump. C’était cool de voir trump et mtg se battre publiquement. Gros racistes!!!
Il aime faire son cinema pour plaire a sa base et rien d'autre. Il passe son temps a dire des betises. Il pense qu'avec les sommes collectees depuis l'intauration des droits de douanes bientot nous n'allons plus payes d'impots loooooool. Je ne pense pas qu'il deteste les musulmans du moins pas les riches comme ceux du Quatar qui lui offerts un avion ou de l'Arabie Saoudite qui financent ses activites. Il fallait voir son sourire quand il recevait le Prince de l'Arabie Saoudite. Il est ne raciste et a grandi avec certaines idees. L'economie americaine est en perte de vitesse. Elle se resume sous une forme de K ou le haut du K la bourgeoisie s'en sort bien avec une future baisse des taxes et l'envolee des titres financiers de la technologie. Le bas du K c'est a dire la majorite ou la classe moyenne qui arrive a peine a joindre les deux bouts. Les republicains savent qu'il y a de fortes chances qu'ils ne vont pas conserver leur majorite au parlement et peut etre au Senat. C'est un scenario que Trump a du mal a digerer. Donc il va tout faire pour retourner la tendance. Il ne veut pas d'une cohabitation comme durant son premier mandat. Il ne jouit plus de ses facultes mentales.Je me demande s'il va terminer son mandat.
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