There has been the arrival of immigrants for a really long time from different parts of the world. ILHAN OMAR: Well, my story is uniquely an American story, right? We have been known as a country of immigrants. And then, particularly Somalia, why you left, your experience as a refugee, which so informs what you do now, working on immigration rights. Tell us - you know more than anyone, being in Congress, how little information most people understand about Africa, unless they are from there. What I do not appreciate is for us to not have a holistic approach to both fighting al-Shabab and creating stability and having policies that are going to create a long-term stable Somalia.ĪMY GOODMAN: So, speaking of Somalia, in your book, you so eloquently talk about your growing up, your first eight years in Somalia. And so, I do stand with the Somali government and our administration in fighting al-Shabab. And it is abhorrent for them to continue to operate. Al-Shabab has and terrorism in Somalia has caused lots of devastation. And to this day, you know, there is places in Somalia where it is still unsafe for people to live in. You know, I fled civil war in the early ’90s. And the fact that they just started up the drone program without doing any of those things and without communicating any of those things to us, as members of Congress, was really alarming.

They were going to reassess their drone program and their engagement with Somalia. They were going to look at a holistic approach. It was our understanding that this administration was going to take a step back. ILHAN OMAR: So, it’s been really hard to get any concrete information that is really - you know, that really answers any of the questions I put into my letter. You said, quote, “It is critical that any military action must be part of a broader strategy focused on the security of the Somali people and the stability of the Somali state.” Can you talk about what you understand why the U.S.

You wrote a letter to President Biden requesting more information on these strikes. Congressmember Omar, your family came to the U.S. military recently conducted at least three drone strikes in your home country of Somalia, in the first attacks, they said, targeting al-Shabab fighters in Somalia since President Biden took office. AMY GOODMAN: I wanted to switch gears and talk about something else that has been happening.

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