From: Warsame Digital Media (WDM) and concerned citizens of the internet.
We write with grave alarm and urgent purpose. The government of the United States, under the leadership of President Donald J. Trump, has escalated a campaign of dehumanization and targeted persecution against a specific ethnic and religious minority: the Somali-American community.
This is not merely a domestic political dispute. It is a deliberate assault on the principles of equality, non-discrimination, and the rule of law—principles that underpin the international human rights system. We call upon governments worldwide, the United Nations, and all human rights organizations to publicly condemn these actions and exert diplomatic pressure to halt this dangerous escalation.
Documented Violations and Hateful Rhetoric
The attacks are explicit, public, and aimed at inciting fear and violence. They include:
1. Dehumanizing Public Speech: The President has repeatedly labeled Somali immigrants and U.S. citizens of Somali descent as “garbage,” stating, “I don’t want them in our country”. He has falsely claimed they “contribute nothing” and should “go back to where they came from”. Legal analysts warn this rhetoric approaches advocacy for “ethnic cleansing”.
2. Targeting of a Lawful, Integrated Community: Over 84,000 people of Somali descent live in Minnesota alone; 58% are U.S.-born, and 87% of those born abroad are naturalized citizens. They are teachers, doctors, lawyers, and civil servants. The President’s wholesale vilification is a betrayal of these Americans.
3. Policy Actions Fueling Fear: This rhetoric is coupled with punitive state action, creating a climate of terror.
· Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has conducted raids in Somali neighborhoods.
· The administration has paused all immigration applications from Somalia.
· There is a plan to review the status of nearly 200,000 refugees admitted under the previous administration, sowing widespread anxiety.
A Broader Pattern of Eroding Human Rights
This incident is not isolated. It reflects a systematic effort to redefine and restrict human rights both domestically and in U.S. foreign policy:
· The U.S. State Department has been instructed to distort its annual human rights reports, attacking global efforts on gender equality, and inclusion while ignoring severe abuses.
· This represents a conscious “warping” of the idea of human rights to fit a discriminatory political agenda, which risks weakening protections worldwide.
Our Appeal and Demands
We appeal to you to act. Silence is complicity. We demand you use your voice and leverage to pressure the U.S. government to:
1. Immediately Cease all hateful, xenophobic, and racist rhetoric against the Somali-American community and all immigrant groups.
2. Halt and Investigatethe targeted ICE raids and immigration enforcement actions in Somali-American communities.
3. Uphold its International Obligationsby respecting the human rights of all within its jurisdiction, without discrimination based on race, national origin, or religion.
4. Redirect Diplomatic Energyto meaningfully address the documented human rights crises in Somalia, rather than using the country as a pretext for domestic persecution.
The world watched America build a system of ideals. It must now watch as those ideals are deliberately dismantled from within. The targeting of Somali-Americans is a test case for authoritarianism. If it succeeds in the United States, no minority anywhere will be safe.
We call on you to stand for humanity over hatred, for law over prejudice, and for the universal rights that belong to us all.
The time to speak out is now.
Warsame Digital Media (WDM)
Warsame Policy & Media Network (WAPMEN) 