--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As an immigrant, I truly believed when I…" description: "\"As an immigrant, I truly believed when I was coming to this country that people had the tools necessary to life to live a life that is prosperous, that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/ilhan-omar-7754_day_as-an-immigrant-i-truly-believed-when-i_1255705.jpg" --- # As an immigrant, I truly believed when I was coming to… ![“As an immigrant, I truly believed when I was coming to this country that people had the tools necessary to life to live a life that is prosperous, that is just and free. So, every single day, I am shocked with the hypocrisy of this country. That we are the wealthiest nation in the world. But we…” quote by Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/ilhan-omar-7754_day_as-an-immigrant-i-truly-believed-when-i_1255705.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/ilhan-omar-7754_day_as-an-immigrant-i-truly-believed-when-i_1255705.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f45/ilhan-omar-7754_day_as-an-immigrant-i-truly-believed-when-i_1255705.jpg) > “As an immigrant, I truly believed when I was coming to this country that people had the tools necessary to life to live a life that is prosperous, that is just and free. So, every single day, I am shocked with the hypocrisy of this country. That we are the wealthiest nation in the world. But we cannot figure out how to house our homeless people.” [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker expresses disillusionment with the gap between America's wealth and its failure to address homelessness, highlighting hypocrisy in national values versus reality. **In simple terms:** America is rich but fails to help its homeless. Key Takeaway Recognize systemic gaps and advocate for humane policies. Themes ineity social justice policy homelessness wealth Mood frustrated hopeful critical Type political social commentary When to use this quote - Political debate - community activism - urban planning - charitable initiatives Key Concepts Economic disparity public policy social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - What concrete steps can society take to reduce homelessness? - How can wealth be redirected to support vulnerable populations? A Different Perspective Addressing homelessness requires political will and resource allocation, not just rhetoric. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [Every single day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/every-single-day/) [Homeless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homeless/) [Homeless people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/homeless-people/) [Hypocrisy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypocrisy/) [Hypocrisy Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypocrisy-country-3974242/) [Immigrant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrant/) [Immigrant Truly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigrant-truly-3974243/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [Covid-19 has lit an even hotter fire in me to become a more active participant in advocating for homeless people and homelessness relief. 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I just want him to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-victor-paskavich/i-don-t-want-a-reward-from-god-for-taking-in-all-the-homeless-people/) [Stanley Victor Paskavich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-victor-paskavich/) > [From paying off friends' tax bills to rescuing stray dogs and stuffing £20 notes into the hands of homeless people, I can't get rid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-burchill/from-paying-off-friends-tax-bills-to-rescuing-stray-dogs-and-stuffing/) [Julie Burchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-burchill/) > [The work my mum does, a lot of it is re-housing homeless people, that's a real job. I play make-believe and dressing up for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irvine/the-work-my-mum-does-a-lot-of-it-is-re-housing-homeless-people-that-s/) [Jeremy Irvine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irvine/) > [When people of color are killed in the inner city, when homeless people are killed, when the "nobodies" are killed, district attorneys do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-prejean/when-people-of-color-are-killed-in-the-inner-city-when-homeless/) [Helen Prejean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-prejean/) > [Homeless people's dogs are more knowledgeable than dogs in Beverly Hills. Why? Because they explore, they move forward, they go through the ups and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-millan/homeless-people-s-dogs-are-more-knowledgeable-than-dogs-in-beverly/) [Cesar Millan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-millan/) > [In college, when I was kind of confronted with facts and figures about inequality in America, a big impulse I had was to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-desmond/in-college-when-i-was-kind-of-confronted-with-facts-and-figures-about/) [Matthew Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-desmond/) > [“I no longer follow the voices of the sane. I follow the ill because they see farther, feel much more and change what the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/i-no-longer-follow-the-voices-of-the-sane-i-follow-the-ill-because/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [Homeless people give the best advice, everything they say always makes a lot of cents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/homeless-people-give-the-best-advice-everything-they-say-always-makes/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Well it's not that I HATE them, but honestly if I saw two homeless people begging for money, one white and one black, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/well-it-s-not-that-i-hate-them-but-honestly-if-i-saw-two-homeless/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [These days many politicians are demanding change. Just like homeless people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/these-days-many-politicians-are-demanding-change-just-like-homeless/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [David Cameron's government criminalised squatting in empty homes. This too was previously a civil matter. Thousands of homeless people found themselves on the wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-monbiot/david-cameron-s-government-criminalised-squatting-in-empty-homes-this/) [George Monbiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-monbiot/) ## More by Ilhan Omar > [I have been very fortunate to have a partner who really stepped up and have wonderful children who do a lot of things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-have-been-very-fortunate-to-have-a-partner-who-really-stepped-up/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [In just my own neighborhood, you can't go one block without seeing a sign that says, you know, 'Everyone's welcome here,' 'Refugees are welcome…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/in-just-my-own-neighborhood-you-can-t-go-one-block-without-seeing-a/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [Hope will be found by understanding that diversity is the essence of the American Dream and why we need each other to fulfill it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/hope-will-be-found-by-understanding-that-diversity-is-the-essence-of/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [I think we forget that, for a really long time, this country has been a place that has welcomed many refugees who have made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-think-we-forget-that-for-a-really-long-time-this-country-has-been-a/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [Here in Minnesota, we don't only welcome immigrants; we send them to Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/here-in-minnesota-we-don-t-only-welcome-immigrants-we-send-them-to/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [I'm not easily scared; from the age of 8, I learned what it means to have everything you know taken away and what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-m-not-easily-scared-from-the-age-of-8-i-learned-what-it-means-to/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [“The more we listen to and learn from those with different backgrounds and present circumstances from our own, the more we can find connections…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/the-more-we-listen-to-and-learn-from-those-with-different-backgrounds/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [I believe in the ideals of America, in liberty, justice, and the pursuit of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-believe-in-the-ideals-of-america-in-liberty-justice-and-the-pursuit/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [This country gave us hope. This country allowed for us to develop our own identity and to create our own home. And we should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/this-country-gave-us-hope-this-country-allowed-for-us-to-develop-our/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [I had a lot of challenges starting school, and my dad says I would come home every day crying and feeling bad about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-had-a-lot-of-challenges-starting-school-and-my-dad-says-i-would/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [I think a big part of my faith teachings is to work together towards equality: that we're all created equal, and under the eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-think-a-big-part-of-my-faith-teachings-is-to-work-together-towards/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [If we are not actively fighting against regressive ideologies, we are contributing to making them grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/if-we-are-not-actively-fighting-against-regressive-ideologies-we-are/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [We have people who will take votes that they can't defend. They'll say they stand for a policy, but when it comes to vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/we-have-people-who-will-take-votes-that-they-can-t-defend-they-ll-say/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [I come from people who dreamed of a free democratic system. I believe so strongly in the process and equal access.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/i-come-from-people-who-dreamed-of-a-free-democratic-system-i-believe/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) > [We can walk and chew gum at the same time. Yes, the American people want us to legislate, they want us to insist on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilhan-omar/we-can-walk-and-chew-gum-at-the-same-time-yes-the-american-people/) [Ilhan Omar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) [Explore all 88 Ilhan Omar quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilhan-omar/) ## More Day quotes > [On Sundays, that's my pig out day and I do the pizza and the beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-silvstedt/on-sundays-that-s-my-pig-out-day-and-i-do-the-pizza-and-the-beer/) [Victoria Silvstedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-silvstedt/) > [I don't drink much anymore, but when I traveled with Frank Sinatra, God rest his soul, I used to drink like I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-rickles/i-don-t-drink-much-anymore-but-when-i-traveled-with-frank-sinatra-god/) [Don Rickles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-rickles/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [I had developed a relationship with one of the anti-abortion sidewalk counselors who stood in front of my facility. We talked regularly through the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-johnson/i-had-developed-a-relationship-with-one-of-the-anti-abortion-sidewalk/) [Abby Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-johnson/) > [I loved the game so much that even though our playing field was muddy and we had many trees on it, I used to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-clemente/i-loved-the-game-so-much-that-even-though-our-playing-field-was-muddy/) [Roberto Clemente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-clemente/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [Valentine's Day: Rubbing singles' noses in their lack of a mate and the noses of couples in their lack of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mclaughlin/valentine-s-day-rubbing-singles-noses-in-their-lack-of-a-mate-and-the/) [Emma McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mclaughlin/) > [One day I woke up and Juventus wanted me, another Manchester United and what I know is that there were approaches made. 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