US President Donald Trump is ramping up his anti-immigrant rhetoric, using derogatory language to describe certain groups of people. The latest incident occurred after an Afghan man was named a suspect in last week's shooting of two national guard members in Washington DC. In response, Trump claimed there were "a lot of problems with Afghans" and went on a tirade against Somali immigrants, calling them "garbage".
Critics have described the recent remarks as "alarming", "awful", and "dehumanizing". Democratic lawmakers and immigration advocates have accused the administration of using the tragedy to advance its anti-immigrant policies. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called Trump's comments an "epic moment".
Omar, a Minnesota congresswoman who came to the US from Somalia as a refugee, described Trump's remarks as "vile". In an essay in The New York Times, she said that Trump is lashing out at her and her community with bigotry because he "knows he is failing".
Top White House adviser Stephen Miller defended the sweeping measures, dismissing the idea of mass migration. Susan Benesch, executive director of the Dangerous Speech Project, described Trump's rhetoric as "alarming and awful". Lynne Tirrell, a university professor, said that Trump's statements are "reckless speech" that licenses people to use dehumanizing language.
The administration's intensified rhetoric has been accompanied by further restrictions on immigration. Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem endorsed a full travel ban on every country that is flooding the nation with immigrants deemed threats to Western civilization.
Immigration advocates have warned that xenophobic rhetoric can create danger and lead to violence. The Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee reported a spike in panic and fear among Somali residents, who feel targeted by the administration's comments.
The US administration's policies are targeting entire countries with a sledgehammer, pausing applications for asylum based on where people were born, rather than on targeted intelligence. Immigration lawyers have warned that these measures are unjust and dangerous.
Critics have described the recent remarks as "alarming", "awful", and "dehumanizing". Democratic lawmakers and immigration advocates have accused the administration of using the tragedy to advance its anti-immigrant policies. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called Trump's comments an "epic moment".
Omar, a Minnesota congresswoman who came to the US from Somalia as a refugee, described Trump's remarks as "vile". In an essay in The New York Times, she said that Trump is lashing out at her and her community with bigotry because he "knows he is failing".
Top White House adviser Stephen Miller defended the sweeping measures, dismissing the idea of mass migration. Susan Benesch, executive director of the Dangerous Speech Project, described Trump's rhetoric as "alarming and awful". Lynne Tirrell, a university professor, said that Trump's statements are "reckless speech" that licenses people to use dehumanizing language.
The administration's intensified rhetoric has been accompanied by further restrictions on immigration. Homeland security secretary Kristi Noem endorsed a full travel ban on every country that is flooding the nation with immigrants deemed threats to Western civilization.
Immigration advocates have warned that xenophobic rhetoric can create danger and lead to violence. The Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee reported a spike in panic and fear among Somali residents, who feel targeted by the administration's comments.
The US administration's policies are targeting entire countries with a sledgehammer, pausing applications for asylum based on where people were born, rather than on targeted intelligence. Immigration lawyers have warned that these measures are unjust and dangerous.
, like who does he think he is? and what's with all this language anyway? is it true that using certain words can be hurtful to people? my friend's cousin is from somalia and she said it made her feel super uncomfortable 
. i don't really get why trump has to keep talking about immigration stuff, like can't we just focus on something else for once? 
and what's with the whole "garbage" thing, that's just disgusting 
.
. It's like he thinks everyone who comes to this country is a threat 
. Newsflash, Mr. Trump: refugees like Omar, the congresswoman from Minnesota, are just trying to escape war and persecution in their own countries 
. Their stories deserve compassion and understanding, not hate speech 
. I mean, come on, Trump: if someone wants to come here because their country is falling apart, shouldn't we be offering them a helping hand 
? Instead, you're treating them like criminals, just because of where they were born 
. It's creating fear and panic among innocent people, and it needs to stop ASAP 
. We need leaders who can bring us together, not drive us apart with hate speech 
. Can't we all just get along? 
The way the US administration is handling immigration is a perfect example of this quote coming true. It's like they're trying to rewrite history by making blanket statements about entire countries, rather than focusing on specific individuals or threats. This kind of rhetoric only serves to fuel fear and division among already vulnerable communities. We need to be careful not to let our leaders perpetuate harm, especially when it comes to the most marginalized among us. 
. Like, who is he to single out an entire group of ppl just because they're from a specific country? It's not like the US has a great track record on immigration itself 
. Omar's essay hit the nail on the head - Trump's just trying to shift attention from his own failures 
. I'm so tired of politicians using fear-mongering and scapegoating to get re-elected 
. Can't we just have a real conversation about immigration reform instead? 
Trump is at it again... like what even is this kinda talk?! 
He's literally using derogatory language to describe people he doesn't agree with and it's just SO not cool 
. And now they're saying the administration's going to implement more travel restrictions? Like, what's next? 
. This whole situation is just SO messed up 
. Like, how can we pretend like immigration laws aren't racist or discriminatory when they're essentially banning people from certain countries based on their nationality? It's just not right 
, but seriously, let's keep calling out Trump's BS and advocating for equality and justice 
Those comments were straight up dehumanizing and disgusting. Like, Omar, that congresswoman from Minnesota, totally called him out for it 
those somali ppl are just tryna survive & build a new life in america 
and then trump comes along & calls them "garbage" 
& honestly i think its time for him 2 step down from office or get held accountable 4 his words