(Washington, D.C., 12/4/2025) — The U.S. Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO), the largest umbrella of national and local American Muslim organizations, today condemned the alarming rise in racist rhetoric directed at Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and the Somali-American community, and expressed full solidarity with the Somali community in Minnesota and across America.
USCMO said the recent wave of attacks relies on overtly racist tropes that have long been used to vilify immigrant communities in the United States.
In a statement, USCMO Secretary-General Oussama Jammal said:
“President Trump and other political figures are once again resorting to fear-mongering and racist rhetoric to target Rep. Ilhan Omar and the broader Somali-American community. The false and inflammatory claims being spread about Somali immigrants mirror the same hateful narratives once aimed at Irish, Italian, Jewish, and other communities who faced discrimination while building their lives in this country.
“We stand in full solidarity with Rep. Omar, the Somali-American community, and immigrants from Somalia in Minnesota and across our nation. Somali-Americans, many of whom arrived in the United States as refugees just a generation ago, have built a strong, vibrant, and civically engaged community despite significant obstacles.
“From small-business owners and factory workers to healthcare professionals, religious leaders, and elected officials, many Somali-Americans and immigrants from Somalia contribute daily to the economic, cultural, and democratic fabric of our nation. Attempting to smear an entire community with racist generalizations is not only morally wrong—it is part of a broader pattern in which some politicians invent a new ‘enemy’ to distract the public from the real challenges facing our country.”
USCMO urged public officials, media outlets, and community leaders to reject racist narratives and to stand firmly with Somali-Americans and all communities targeted by hate.
The US Council of Muslim Organizations (USCMO) is the nation’s largest umbrella group of major national, regional, and local American Muslim organizations, committed to strengthening Muslim civic engagement and advancing justice, mutual understanding, and the common good.
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