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BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (FOX 9) - A welcome party gathered at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport to celebrate Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's return to the state following recent rhetoric by President Donald Trump.
During a campaign rally Wednesday night, President Trump criticized Congresswoman Omar for her past controversial statements. Supporters at the rally then began chanting, "Send her back." Omar was born in Somalia before moving to the United States and becoming a citizen.
Thursday evening Omar will be participating in a Medicare for All town hall in Minneapolis. About a hundred supporters gathered around Omar when she arrived at the baggage claim at MSP. She addressed the crowd with a megaphone, speaking for several minutes. Immediately, she said it "felt good to be home."
"They said, 'Send her back,' they didn’t know I was already going back to have a beautiful conversation about what it means to create progress for all of the people in our country," said Omar.
Omar explained that she knew would be an outspoken member of Congress, starting with the controversial "Muslim ban." She said as an immigrant she embodies "what hope should look like."
"When I said I was the president's nightmare, well you’re watching it now because his nightmare is seeing a Somali immigrant refugee rise to Congress," she said. "His nightmare is seeing the beautiful mosaic fabric of our country welcome someone like me as their member of Congress to Minnesota."