Donald Trump’s campaign rhetoric demonizing refugees and immigrants reached its apotheosis as he arrived in the state of Minnesota last November. During a rally, the then-candidate decried the presence of Somali refugees in the state, declaring (http://time.com/4560078/donald-trump-minnesota-somali-refugees/) that Minnesotans had “suffered enough” from admitting them. “Here in Minnesota you have seen firsthand the problems caused with faulty refugee vetting, with large numbers of Somali refugees coming into your state, without your knowledge, without your support or approval,” Trump said.
While Trump’s brazen fear mongering was consistent with his campaign rhetoric, his tone was nothing new (http://www.startribune.com/fear-stalks-minnesota-muslims-as-anti-islam-feeling-builds/383809081/) for the state’s Somali communities—long targeted by institutional racism and stigmatization.
Minnesota is host to the largest Somali population in the country, concentrated mostly in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Like many other immigrant communities of color, Somalis in the state are confronted with a plethora of social and economic needs and receive little-to-no help from state and federal government agencies. Community-led organizations that seek to fill the gap constantly struggle with a lack of funding and resources.


More... (http://inthesetimes.com/working/entry/20272/poverty-programs-countering-violent-extremism-somali-immigrants-minnesota/)