The Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) ignited controversy this week after accusing President Donald Trump of advancing an ‘Israel first‘ agenda when he announced plans to rescind deportation protections for Somali immigrants in Minnesota. CAIR-Minnesota executive director Jaylani Hussein said at a Monday press conference that “we believe this is an Israeli-first public campaign targeting a very vulnerable community—the Somali-American community—and a very vulnerable congresswoman—Ilhan Omar.”
Hussein tied the ‘Israel first’ accusation to what he described as broader efforts to undermine conservative voices with young voters. He praised Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson, claiming that “Israel first Americans have also come after them,” and adding, “I know for sure that this campaign mirrors the same campaign targeting Candace Owens and Tucker Carlson.” He argued that younger Republicans “are refusing to accept—that America will continue to take the wars of Israel.”
Trump’s decision came as he warned that “Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State,” calling Minnesota a “hub of fraudulent money laundering activity.” His remarks followed a City Journal report alleging that Somali-American criminal networks redirected welfare dollars overseas, with some funds ending up in the hands of Al-Shabaab terrorists.
Hussein condemned the “article,” calling it “based on false information that is being wrongfully connected.” He also said CAIR wants “the federal government to monitor funding that is coming directly from Israel into the pockets of social media influencers.”
Owens, whom Hussein described as “factual” and “clear,” has recently claimed that French and Israeli actors plotted her assassination. “The Macrons have executed upon and paid for my assassination,” she wrote on X, later adding that international accounts facilitated the plot.
The press conference occurred one day after national CAIR eulogized convicted cop-killer Jamil Abdullah al-Amin, prompting further scrutiny of the group’s rhetoric.
