US President Donald Trump has lashed out at two House Democrats, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, after they voted against his speech to a joint session of Congress.
As the president spoke about toughening immigration laws and holding cities accountable for failing to fully cooperate with federal agencies, the two lawmakers shouted at him, accusing his administration of being responsible for the deaths of American citizens. They said bluntly: “You killed Americans!”
Ilhan Omar, a Somali-American who represents Minnesota’s 5th District, and Rashida Tlaib, the first woman of Palestinian descent to be elected to Congress, have previously condemned the crackdown on immigrants. In January, two Americans were killed in Minnesota while protesting a crackdown by immigration officials.
Trump, in a post on his Truth Social account, called the two lawmakers “inappropriate” and “harmful to our country.” He called for them to be “sent back to where they came from as soon as possible,” a statement that has sparked a debate about the Trump administration’s racism and discrimination.
Ilhan Omar, for her part, said in a post on social media that she had to remind the president of his responsibility for the deaths of two of the people she represented. She said she stood by her statement.
Rashida Tlaib also called the president’s comments “intolerant,” saying she could not stand “two Muslim women speaking directly to her and correcting her.”
The protests inside the House of Representatives highlighted growing political divisions, particularly on immigration and immigrant rights. Similarly, Democratic congressman Al Green was ejected from the chamber after holding up a sign expressing disapproval of past remarks that were described as racist.
The incident has once again highlighted the extent of the political tension between the US parties, with debates over immigration and equality fueling the ongoing conflict.
