Boston, Mass. — Community leaders, elected officials, faith leaders, and residents gathered this week outside the JFK Federal Building in Downtown Boston, standing in freezing temperatures to publicly support the Somali American community following remarks by President Donald Trump calling Somalis “garbage.”
The comments sparked immediate backlash across Massachusetts, prompting a rally that brought together federal, state, and city officials alongside civil rights advocates and Somali community members. Speakers repeatedly denounced the remarks as dehumanizing and dangerous, emphasizing the deep contributions Somali Americans have made to Boston and the Commonwealth across health care, education, public safety, small business, and community service.
Said Abdikarim, the event’s organizer and community leader, opened the rally by grounding the gathering in unity and dignity.
“We are here today in solidarity with the Somali American community,” Abdikarim said. “Somali people are not garbage. We are hardworking. We are part of the building blocks within the structure of this country.”
One of the most forceful speeches of the afternoon came from U.S. Representative Ayanna Pressley, who represents Massachusetts’ 7th Congressional District, home to an estimated 8,000 Somali residents.
“They are our neighbors,” Pressley said. “They are teachers, business owners, innovators, first responders, and essential workers, and they are not garbage.”
Pressley warned against dismissing the remarks as routine political rhetoric.
“This kind of hate is not normal. It is dangerous; what happens to one of us affects all of us. Our freedoms and destinies are bound together.”
She also condemned immigration enforcement practices under the Trump administration, describing actions by ICE as racist and rogue.
“These practices spread fear; they do not make our communities safer,” Pressley said.
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu echoed those sentiments, emphasizing Boston’s long history as a city built by immigrants and reaffirming her administration’s commitment to protecting immigrant communities.
“You cannot talk about Boston’s success—in safety, jobs, economic development, or education—without talking about the Somali community,” Wu said. “They have helped make our city what it is today.”
Wu highlighted city investments in language access, cultural services, youth programs, and education through the Office of Immigrant Advancement. She also acknowledged the emotional toll of repeated political attacks.
“It is exhausting to have to keep showing up, but hate has no place in our city, especially not hate coming from positions of power.”
Faith leaders and local officials also addressed the crowd, framing the moment as a moral test. Reverend Minyard Culpepper, Boston City Councilor-elect for District 7, urged the community to persist despite discrimination.
“Do not stop,” Culpepper said. “That is how we overcome evil.”
“An attack on Somali Americans is an attack on everyone.”
He added, drawing parallels between the current rhetoric and historic racism faced by Black Americans.
Abdirahman Yusuf, chairman of the Somali Development Center (SDC), directly rejected the dehumanizing language used against Somali Americans.
“Somalis, which I am one of, are not trash. We are gold. We are hardworking, law-abiding citizens and wonderful people.”
Support for the Somali community extended beyond Boston. Laura Vitagliano, regional director for Senator Elizabeth Warren’s office, read a statement on the senator’s behalf.
“Human beings are not trash,” the statement read. “Somali Americans deserve dignity and respect, just like every other person.”
The statement reaffirmed Senator Warren’s opposition to abusive immigration enforcement and her support for immigrant families nationwide.
Civil rights organizations also spoke. Omar Farhan, youth director for the Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), expressed solidarity with Somali Americans and immigrants more broadly.
“We stand with our Somali brothers and sisters,” Farhan said. “And we stand with all immigrants who are being targeted by hate.”
Governor Maura Healey, who was unable to attend, released a written statement affirming that Massachusetts would not tolerate hate, racism, or religious intolerance even when it comes from the presidency.
As the rally concluded, organizers thanked attendees for showing up despite the bitter cold. For many in the crowd, the gathering was about more than responding to a single comment. It was a collective declaration that Somali Americans and all immigrants belong to the history, present, and future of Boston.
Abdullahi Hussein is a community journalist focused on uplifting immigrant voices and local stories in Boston. He is also our director of editorial and development.
