MinnesotaishometothelargestpopulationofSomalirefugeesandimmigrantsintheUnitedStates.ManySomaliswhospoketoVOAbeforetheelectionsaidtheyweresupportingHillaryClintonforpresidentbecausetheyfeltthatDonaldTrumpwasanti-Somali.
Earlier,TrumphassaidthereareproblemsinMinnesotacausedbypoorvettingofrefugees.HesaidtherewerelargenumbersofSomalirefugeesenteringthestate,andthatthiswasunknowntostateofficials.HealsosaidthatsomeoftherefugeeshadjoinedtheIslamicStategroup.Heaccusedthemofspreadingtheirextremistideas“alloverourcountryandallovertheworld.”
AshaAhmed,aSomaliAmerican,said"WeareshockedthatTrumpispresident,butwegotreliefthatIlhanwillberepresentingusatourstateHouseofRepresentatives.Forme,Americaismycountry,itiswheremyfutureanddreamsalwaysdependedonandtheonlyhomeformychildren...[Omar's]successmeansalottomeandmyfamily,threechildrenandahusband."
JibrilMohamed,alectureratOhioStateUniversity,expressedsatisfactionatOmar’selectiontotheMinnesotastatelegislature.
"Itislikeananti-painrelieffortheSomalis,whovotedagainstTrumpbecauseofTrump'santi-Somalirhetoricthatcontinuedeventothelastdaysoftheelectioncampaign,"hesaid.
AhmedHirsi,Omar'shusband,toldVOAthatthecampaignwasalongstruggleforhisfamilytowitnessthisday.
"ItisabighistoricdayforusandIlhan,asymbolandrolemodelformanySomalirefugeegirls.ItisasuccessthatcamethroughhardworkandthesupportofourMinnesotapeople,"hesaid.
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