Somali immigrants in Minnesota are pushing back against President Donald Trump\u2019s claim that they don\u2019t work and contribute nothing, pointing to decades of labor and entrepreneurship.<\/p>\n
At Hamdi Restaurant on Minneapolis\u2019 East Lake Street, owner Abdishakur Elmi moved to Minnesota from Somalia in the 1990s.<\/p>\n
He said he and his family pay their dues to the state.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re a hardworking family. We\u2019re working seven days a week,\u201d Elmi said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His son, Abdihakin Daud, added, \u201cMe and my dad, we work hard every single day.\u201d<\/p>\n
RELATED<\/strong>: President Trump\u2019s contempt shocks the country\u2019s largest Somali community<\/a><\/p>\n Remarks by President Trump questioned Somali labor and contributions.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThese aren\u2019t people that work,\u201d Trump said. They contribute nothing. I don\u2019t want them in our country,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n However, Concordia University economist Dr. Bruce Corrie<\/a> said his latest estimates show the following:<\/p>\n RELATED<\/strong>: Fact Check: Noem\u2019s claims about Somalis in Minnesota difficult to verify<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe estimated impact of these workers,\u00a0Somali workers, in Minnesota could be about 8 billion dollars,\u201d Corrie said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s about what they produce and how that production in terms generates and ripples through the economy.\u201d<\/p>\n We asked him his thoughts on Trump\u2019s comments that said Somali\u2019s don\u2019t contribute anything.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d like to share that information with him, and he\u2019d probably change his mind,\u201d Corrie said.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n