Ibrahim Hirsi writes about immigrant communities and the politics and policies that affect them. He was previously a staff writer for MinnPost. For his reporting, he received the 2018 MLK Commitment to Service Award, which honors public servants who are making a difference in Minnesota. Ibrahim got his start in journalism covering business at the Minnesota Daily, the University of Minnesota’s student newspaper. He has also reported on issues concerning immigrant and communities of color for the Twin Cities Daily Planet and St. Cloud Times. Ibrahim is currently a PhD student in immigration history at the University of Minnesota, and contributes to The World through a collaboration with the Immigration History Research Center.
The renewed debate about who is a “public charge” evokes a forgotten page in American history: The US immigration system has long excluded vulnerable individuals based on their economic status, sexual orientation and physical abilities.