Congresswoman Ilhan Omar says ICE agents pulled over her son – US politics live | US politics

In the interview with WCCO, Rep. Ilhan Omar said her office has received a flood of calls in the weeks since Trump began targeting her by name and calling her, and other Somalis, “garbage”.

Most of those calls, she said, are people lending their support and saying they disagree with the president.

“They also tell us to continue fighting, because it does set an example when you stand up to bullies,” Omar said.

She touched on the massive fraud cases in Minnesota, which is part of why Trump has said he’s going after Somalis. Many of those convicted of defrauding public programs, including a program meant to provide meals to kids, are of Somali descent. Omar said the whole community should not be blamed for the crimes of individuals, and that she and other Minnesotans also were “deeply hurt” by the fraud. As to whether money sent from Somalis in the US back home could be funding Al-Shabaab, the terrorist group – a claim made by rightwing media in recent weeks – she said she supports the government investigating.