Wednesday’s accusation by State Rep. Deqa Dhalac that President Donald Trump and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller “don’t want any Black or Brown people in this country”, is the latest flashpoint in a political career that has repeatedly drawn statewide and national attention.
Dhalac, a Democrat representing House District 120 in South Portland, made national headlines in 2021 when she became the first Somali-American mayor in the United States after being selected by the South Portland City Council. A licensed social worker, she has often described herself as an advocate for immigrants, refugees and Maine’s Somali community.
At the same time, Dhalac has become one of Maine’s most polarizing elected officials.
She has repeatedly said she has been subjected to racist attacks and political harassment because of her Somali heritage and Muslim faith. During congressional and public discussions surrounding investigations into Gateway Community Services, Dhalac argued she was being unfairly singled out and maintained that criticism directed at her was motivated, at least in part, by prejudice against the Somali community.
Her critics, however, argue that many of the controversies surrounding Dhalac stem from her own public statements and political associations rather than her ethnicity.
Those controversies intensified in late 2025 after House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) identified Gateway Community Services and several current and former employees, including Dhalac, in correspondence with the U.S. Treasury as part of a broader federal investigation into potential welfare and MaineCare fraud.
The letter prompted Maine House Republicans to call for Dhalac’s removal from the Legislature’s powerful Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, arguing lawmakers connected to organizations under federal scrutiny should not oversee state spending decisions.
Dhalac forcefully denied any wrongdoing, saying she worked at Gateway Community Services for less than a year and had no responsibility for the organization’s billing practices. She has never been charged with a crime, and no allegations of criminal conduct have been publicly brought against her.
Before entering elected office, Dhalac served in leadership roles at Gateway Community Services, a Lewiston-based provider founded by Abdullahi Ali. The organization has since faced increasing scrutiny from both state and federal investigators over its participation in MaineCare-funded programs.
Dhalac has also maintained professional ties with Ali, who announced a campaign in 2024 for president of Jubaland, an autonomous region in southern Somalia.
In January 2026, Dhalac announced she would not seek another term in the Maine House, saying the political environment had become “increasingly hostile and unsafe.” She cited persistent political attacks and harassment directed at both herself and Maine’s Somali community as reasons for stepping away from elected office.
Despite that announcement, Dhalac has remained an outspoken voice on immigration policy, racial justice and refugee issues. Her comments Wednesday about President Trump and Stephen Miller are likely to become another focal point in the ongoing debate over immigration enforcement in Maine and the increasingly heated rhetoric surrounding it.
