Okay let me get this straight. Last Tuesday afternoon I'm scrolling through headlines between sips of cold brew the size of my personal integrity, and what pops up? Breaking news screaming that President Trump wants Somalis in the United States sent back to Somalia. Immediately followed by another ticker announcing some obscure Medicaid rule change that could limit hepatitis B shots. Do these people think we weren't paying attention in history class?

First off, remember when the media lost their minds over Trump wanting more vetting for refugees way back in 2017? Back when New York Times think pieces insisted this would collapse our moral standing or whatever. Fast forward seven years and look at Somalis in Minneapolis. Their community's created over 600 businesses from grocery stores to construction companies generating roughly 300 million dollars annually according to city council reports. That refugee vetting process everyone shrieked about? Definitely not stopping people from filling potholes and paying sales tax.

Now here's the thing they won't tell you on CNN. Zero actual policy announcement exists right now about mass deportations. Some one line petition mentioned during a rally and suddenly it's 'Trump Hates Immigrants: The Musical' trending everywhere. Meanwhile I grew up near Fort Worth where Somali truck drivers keep our supply chains moving. My old neighbor Ahmed spent last Ramadan donating meals for food banks while running two daycare centers. But sure, evil mastermind destroying America.

Let's pivot to this hepatitis B drama. Suddenly federal officials asking Medicaid to possibly update vaccine requirements has Twitter diagnosing everyone with outrage poisoning. Hepatitis B isn't some mild sniffles situation. Nearly 300,000 Americans get infected annually per CDC stats. Guess who disproportionately suffers? Low income communities, often in cities with heavy immigrant populations.

I actually got my hepatitis shots at a free clinic near Dallas in 2015 after traveling health nurses explained the risks. Paid nothing thanks to existing Medicaid coverage while working as a barista. If some policy tweak makes that harder for single moms or restaurant workers, that stinks. But let's not act like this specifically targets Somalis like some biological warfare fantasy. Literally nobody in the federal government has proposed that, but you'd never know scrolling social media tonight.

Here's the tea. There's serious conversation needed about how safety net programs should work. Refugee vetting matters long term. Both parties suck at discussing either thoughtfully. Watching politicians and journalists suddenly acting like Somali Americans haven't been paying taxes or starting businesses here for decades though? That's next level historical amnesia.

My cousin works at a Minneapolis hospital where five Somali nurses saved my uncle's life during a cardiac event in 2020. Their refugee parents arrived in Minnesota in the 1990s, opened restaurants, paid for nursing degrees, and now staff ICU wards saving lives daily. You're telling me sending these women 'back' makes any sense at all? To where? They have apartment leases, 401ks, and vinyl collections. They're Americans.

Meanwhile actual human traffickers are exploiting undocumented immigrants through southern border gaps under the current administration. Can we please direct anger toward those criminals instead of immigrants revitalizing retail districts? Let's be intellectually honest. Prioritizing legal immigration doesn't equate to hating immigrants. Worrying about overwhelmed infrastructure in sanctuary cities isn't racism. Asking how to balance compassion with practical limits on resettlement dollars deserves discussion without false villain labels.

Don't get me started on vaccine hypocrisy. Suddenly concern for accessing hepatitis B shots explodes after years of politicians letting insulin costs skyrocket. Celebrities could campaign about Medicaid pharmacy coverage any Tuesday but you don't see that until Trump's name appears nearby. Desperate for content I guess.

In Minnesota alone, Somali businesses generate more sales tax revenue annually than three Trump golf courses combined, based on statewide business surveys. They employ locals, sponsor Little League teams, and donate to food banks more reliably than some congressmen show up for votes. Yet only viral outrage makes headlines.

Final thought. My fellow millennials tackle politics like we're picking teams for dodgeball. Either full open borders forever or deport every brown person with an accent. What happened to nuance? How about we verify facts before sharing clickbait? Maybe consider that legal immigrants buying homes hurt absolutely nobody except NIMBYs worried about property values.

Track records matter. Personal stories beat hot takes. Healthy debate moves us forward. Next time some politician riles you up about immigration, ask what their city did last month to help new arrivals learn English or find jobs. Mine gave microloans to African refugees launching cleaning companies. Super exciting journalism right there.

We get through the noise with reminders that actual humans built this country through shops and schools and communities. Today's immigrant story involves far more daycare centers and nurses than any fear mongering ad implies. Maybe focus there instead.