As It Happens Trump rattles a Somali community, including his supporters
Dec 4, 2025
Jelani Hussain, the Executive Director of the Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, discusses the Somali-American community's fear following President Trump's remarks that they view as racist. He also explores the complex local political dynamics, including unexpected Somali support for Trump. Luis Moreno Ocampo, the founding chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, critiques the legality of U.S. strikes on Venezuelan vessels, labeling them potentially as war crimes. The emotional struggles of a family facing repeated visa denials to reunite with their adopted daughter for Christmas add a poignant layer.
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Rhetoric Raises Real Danger
- Jelani Hussain warns that presidential rhetoric targeting Somali-Americans is racially dangerous and already heightening fear in Minnesota.
- He says ICE actions may wrongly detain U.S. citizens and communities must be prepared and know their rights.
Family Blocked From Christmas Reunion
- Liz and Michael Bruce described repeated Canadian visitor-visa rejections for their five-year-old adopted daughter Chloe despite extensive documentation.
- Chloe asks every day when she can see snow and visit her grandparents, highlighting the family's emotional strain.
Low-Effort Art As Local Satire
- The Turn-ip Prize celebrates deliberately lazy, low-effort art as satire of elite art prizes.
- Tim Flux used local, low-effort materials and humor to win and embraces the community tradition.
